For Immediate
Release
Contact: Casey Seward, Public
Relations Manager
410-504-8154
Jeremy
Hunt, Investor Relations Specialist
410-504-8196
Ken Sgro,
CEOcast, Inc. for Medifast
212-732-4300
Karen McGagh, PR
Consultant
410-916-2315
Johns Hopkins University Study shows Type II Diabetics Lost
Twice as Much Weight using Medifast as Those on an ADA Diet.
OWINGS
MILLS, Md., December 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medifast, Inc. (AMEX: MED) is
pleased to announce the preliminary 34-week results from its one year and 34
week diabetes study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health.
Preliminary results of the study show that those study volunteers
on the Medifast Diet for Diabetics lost twice as much weight as compared to
those following basic nutrition recommendations from the American Diabetes
Association (ADA).
Study results show that those on the Medifast Diet for Diabetics
program lost an average of 16 pounds versus the ADA diet group that lost an
average of 8 pounds. Additionally,
two-thirds of those on the Medifast program lost at least 5% of their weight,
which is a standard measure of the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA)
threshold to indicate clinically significant weight loss, versus one-quarter of
those on the ADA diet
Compliance
data indicates that almost twice as many people on the Medifast program were
able to complete the weight loss portion of the study.
“These results suggest that the Medifast diet was easier to adhere
to than the comparison diet,” says Dr. Larry Cheskin, the principal
investigator and Hopkins study examiner. “These results may be important for
people who are overweight and have Type II Diabetes. We're telling people they need to lose weight and manage their
diet or risk serious health consequences, so it is useful to study what weight
loss method is most effective.”
Medifast asked Dr. Cheskin to conduct a study after receiving
numerous reports from patients that Medifast products helped control their
diabetes symptoms.
“I have been a diabetic for about five or six years. As of today I am completely off all my sugar
and cholesterol medications and my blood pressure is normal. My total weight
loss on this program has been 50 pounds.
I’ll tell you; this has made the difference to me in life and death. I truly believe Medifast has been a miracle
in my life,” says Josephine Shaw, a diabetic patient who worked closely with
Medifast’s Medical Director, Dr. Wayne Andersen.
“In my twenty years as a critical care physician using surgery and
medicines, I have never experienced the amazing improvement in disease that I
have in the two years we have been focused on nutritional intervention as the
first line defense against disease,” says Dr. Andersen. “Within 4 to 16 weeks
our patients are coming off their cholesterol and diabetic medication and
showing dramatic improvements in the symptomentology of several other
conditions.”
The researchers randomized two groups of Type II diabetic
volunteers. One group was given the Medifast Plus for Diabetics defined-formula
meal replacement diet of soups, oatmeal, bars and a variety of shakes. The
other group was asked to follow a diet based on ADA nutrition guidelines, shop
for their own food and manage their own portions, but had the same guidance
from the doctors, counselors and dietitians in the study as the Medifast group.
The study found those randomized to the Medifast program had an
average 7.5% decrease in body fat, a clinically significant amount.
In addition to weight loss, the initial study results are that
Medifast participants sustained an average 9% decrease in blood fasting glucose
and an average 19% decrease in insulin levels. Medifast participants also
achieved an average 12% decrease in fasting triglycerides, and an average 9%
increase in HDL (good) cholesterol. Their levels of systolic and diastolic
blood pressure decreased significantly.
What's more, a number of patients in the Medifast group were able
to significantly reduce the number and dose of their medicines. Participants on
the Medifast diet saw an average of 27% improvement in their Health Related
Quality of Life, which measures such things as physical functioning, energy
levels and general health.
“Until now, drug therapy has been the gold standard for diabetics.
These results suggest that nutritional therapy could be more effective early
on, reduce cost and provide better health for diabetics,” said Brad MacDonald,
Medifast’s CEO.
“If diabetics are being told to lose weight, initial results show
that they may be better off on a portion controlled, defined-formula diet,”
said Dr. Cheskin. “This is important
information for Type II diabetics seeking weight loss.”
This release contains forward-looking statements, which may
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
Medifast's actual results and performance in future periods to be materially
different from any future results or performance suggested by these statements.
Medifast cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements,
which speak only to management's expectation on this date.
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