Researchers at the MRC Epidemiology Unit and the Primary Care Unit have started work on an NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research to develop and evaluate scalable behavioural weight management programmes to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes (T2D). The grant provides £2 million over 4.5 years and is led by Dr Amy Ahern and Professor Simon Griffin.

Treatment of T2D and related complications (including heart disease, amputation and kidney failure) consumes 10% of the NHS budget, and excess weight will account for 4.6 million new T2D cases in the UK by 2035. Helping people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is a national priority and we need cost-effective programmes that can be delivered to large numbers of people.

The new programme of research will examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of using non-specialists, such as health trainers, and communications technology to deliver weight management programmes in people at high risk of developing T2D, and those with a recent diagnosis. This research is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, University of Leeds, University of Sheffield, University of Oxford, Fakenham Weight Management Service, NHS North Norfolk CCG and NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG.

More details of the project can be found here.