Slimming World policy for people with diabetes

Slimming World welcomes members with diabetes to attend group to obtain support in making positive, healthy lifestyle changes to manage their weight.

Taking guidance from Diabetes UK, DMEG (British Dietetic Association Diabetes Management and Education Group) and nutritional guidelines for diabetes care Slimming World has developed specific guidelines to support our members with diabetes:

• Members are requested to inform their Slimming World group Consultant that they have diabetes on joining and are recommended to always follow the advice given by their diabetes care team.
• A survey of Slimming World members revealed that they often get differing dietary advice from their diabetes care teams dependent on their individual needs ¹. Therefore, Slimming World do not give specific dietary advice to members with diabetes. Rather we recommend members follow the recommendations given by their diabetes health care team. Slimming World Consultants help members fit their individual recommendations into their eating plan.
• All members with diabetes are provided with a booklet 'Eating well with diabetes - a guide for Slimming World members'. This booklet includes information on the healthy eating steps to help control blood glucose levels, blood fats and regulate weight recommended by Diabetes UK, and explains how Slimming World's Food Optimising system can help them achieve these steps.
• Members are recommended to talk to their diabetes care team about joining Slimming World and their plans to lose weight and become more active in order to obtain advice on diet, medication and how to manage blood glucose levels. The importance of regular reviews with their health care team is highlighted, and members taking insulin or other diabetes medication are particularly recommended to keep their health care team up to date with their weight loss progress so doses can be reviewed and adjusted as necessary throughout their weight loss journey.
• Further research, involving 620 members (88% with type 2 diabetes) showed support from Slimming World resulted in clinically significant weight losses, improvements in HbA1C and reduction in diabetes medication².
• All Slimming World Consultants are provided with information on how best to support members who have diabetes.

1. Avery A, Allan J, Pallister C & Lavin J (2009) An investigation into the dietary advice given by health professionals to Slimming World members with diabetes and how members are fitting this advice into Slimming World's eating plan. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 22(6):582-3.
2. Avery A, Nagar R, Hillier S, Pallister C, Lavin J & Mellor D (2017). Studying the impact on weight and glycaemic control in adults with diabetes attending a group based commercial weight management programme. Practice Nursing, 28 (2) 60-66.