The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy on Weight Loss, and Blood Glucose Level in Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aim and Today, due to changes in lifestyle and weight gain, the age of diabetes is reduced, and the prevalence of diabetes is increasing. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on weight loss, and blood glucose level in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods and Materials: In a semi-experimental, and pretest, posttest study with control group, 40 obese (body mass index of more than 30 kg/m2) women with an age range of 30-65 years and with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly selected and divided into two equal groups of experimental and control. The patients were referred to the Iranian Diabetes Association (Central Branch), Tehran, Iran. The experimental group participated in a program of 24 sessions of 60 minutes based on cognitive-behavioral obesity intervention, that included two phases of reduction and weight retention; but the control group did not receive any training. Weighing and taking blood samples (for evaluation of the average level of three-month blood glucose) were performed at the first and last session of the intervention.
Findings: The cognitive-behavioral obesity therapy led to weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and also reduced the level of blood glucose in them.
The results indicate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. These findings are of great importance in controlling the weight, and blood glucose level in these patients; since it is possible to use alternative therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy in treatment of obesity, as non-conventional medical treatments.