In my youth, I remember several people I knew tried a popular diet based around liquid meal replacements. One delicious, nutritious milkshake for breakfast, one for lunch – and by tea time they were ready to chew off their own arm with hunger.

Well, those plans might make a comeback. A recent study examined the effect of the NHS soup and shake diet on weight loss and its capacity to reverse type 2 diabetes. For a disease affecting 4.3 million people in the UK, the potential to reverse type 2 diabetes through diet alone could be exciting news indeed.

So, what does the research tell us?

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where blood glucose (sugar) levels rise higher than normal. Excess sugar is lost through urine, drawing water with it, so symptoms include tiredness, increased urination and thirst.

There are many different types of diabetes, varying in their causes and treatment. However, of all the patients diagnosed with diabetes, more than 90% are type 2. The condition is caused by problems with insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas.

In type 1 diabetes, insulin levels fall because the body attacks the pancreas. But in type 2 diabetes the cause is either diminished insulin levels or decreased sensitivity to its effects. This is often as a result of obesity and increased body fat percentage, and is associated with high blood pressure, a family history of........

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