Dr Claire Morbey, an endocrinologist with the Hunter Diabetes Centre, says Newcastle and the Hunter is a "hot-bed" for obesity and diabetes. Across the nation, 280 people are diagnosed with the disease every day.
Juggling healthy eating and a tight tummy can be a struggle at the best of times, but difficulties with blood sugar can make maintaining a slim waist almost impossible.
Dr Morbey says the new drug being trialled in the Hunter and internationally looks promising for its ability to manage insulin levels and also promote weight loss. She says it's a new treatment for people with type 2 diabetes that she hopes "will help with diabetes control, but also assist with weight loss".
"People with diabetes do find it incredibly difficult to manage the combination of looking after their blood glucose levels but also trying to lose weight, so any new medication that we can help develop, that can provide almost like a double-whammy with those two things would be fantastic."
The 6-month study involves meeting with Dr Morbey and her research team on a regular basis to monitor how the trial drug interacts with blood sugar levels, the waistline, and "various other medical parameters" to ensure the drug is effective.
Anybody with type 2 diabetes between the ages of 18 and 65 can apply to the study, so long as they aren't already on an insulin."They can be on any other diabetes medication", and must have a BMI of 30 or more.
For more information, contact the Hunter Diabetes Centre.
http://www.hunterdiabetescentre.com.au/clinical-trials/type-2-obesity-weightloss/
