For patients with T2D, steep weight loss during a postintervention program was linked with increased risk for mortality, according to a study published in Diabetes Care. “Patients with T2D are encouraged to lose weight, but excessive weight loss in older adults may be a marker of poor health and subsequent mortality,” explained Rena R. Wing, PhD, and colleagues. The researchers assessed weight change in 3,999 participants during the postintervention period of Look AHEAD, a randomized trial comparing intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) with diabetes support and education (DSE) in patients with overweight/obesity with T2D. The study group observed that 30% of steep losers died during postintervention follow-up versus 10% to 18% in other trajectories. “Older individuals with longer duration of diabetes and multimorbidity should be monitored for excessive unintentional weight loss,” the study authors wrote.
