Diabetes (Type 2) Top 10
- Can type 2 diabetes be cured or reversed, what is the best way to achieve this, and is there a point beyond which the condition cannot be reversed?
- How do we identify people at high risk of type 2 diabetes and help to prevent the condition from developing?
- What is the best way to encourage people with type 2 diabetes, whoever they are and wherever they live, to self-manage their condition, and how should it be delivered?
- How do stress and anxiety influence the management of type 2 diabetes and does a positive mental wellbeing have an effect?
- How can people with type 2 diabetes be supported to make lifestyle changes to help them to manage their condition, how effective are these lifestyle changes, and what stops them from working?
- Why does type 2 diabetes get progressively worse over time, what is the most effective way to slow or prevent progression, and how can this be best measured?
- Should diet and exercise be used as an alternative to drugs for the management of type 2 diabetes, or alongside them?
- What causes nerve damage in people with type 2 diabetes, who does it affect most, how can we increase awareness of it, and how can it be best prevented and treated?
- How can psychological or social support be best used to help people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes, and how should this be delivered to account for individual needs?
- What role do fats, carbohydrates, and proteins have in the management of type 2 diabetes, and are there risks and benefits associated with particular approaches?
The following questions were also discussed and put in order of priority at the workshop:
- How effective are different diets and eating patterns for managing Type 2 diabetes, who are they most effective in and what are the potential harms?
- What are the most effective characteristics of a Type 2 diabetes education programme?
- What are the best new treatment approaches for improving blood glucose control in people with Type 2 diabetes?
- How can healthcare professionals be supported to deliver better care for people with Type 2 diabetes?
- What is the most effective approach to weight loss in people with Type 2 diabetes and what factors might affect this?
- How do we identify people with Type 2 diabetes who are unlikely to engage with their treatment plans, including medication and lifestyle changes, and what are the best strategies to overcome this?
- Why do blood glucose levels vary day-to-day in people with Type 2 diabetes for no apparent reason (for example, the Dawn Effect), what is the impact and how can it be avoided?
- How effective are very low calorie diets at preventing or managing Type 2 diabetes, and what are the risks and benefits of this approach?
- How can Type 2 diabetes be prevented in people who are at high risk due to family history?
- What causes eye disease in people with Type 2 diabetes, who does it affect most, how can we increase awareness of it, and how can it be better prevented and treated?
- What are the benefits and harms of statins for different groups of people with Type 2 diabetes?
- What causes tiredness or fatigue in people with Type 2 diabetes, what are the long-term consequences and what is the best way to manage it?
- What role does the quantity and different types of sugar, including fruit sugars and substitute sugars, play in the management of Type 2 diabetes, and how should we better advise people on recommended amounts?
- What is the best way to use metformin to gain the most benefit for people with Type 2 diabetes while minimising side effects?