Group Lifestyle Intervention for People With New Onset Type 2 Diabetes.

The purpose of the study is to assess whether weight loss achieved through a programme of intensive lifestyle management can result in enhanced production of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) together with improvements in the release of insulin and glucagon and thus improvements in glycaemic control (HbA1c), in patients with new onset type 2 diabetes. This is a cohort study with comparisons made between assessments at baseline, after an initial four months of intensive intervention and after a further four months follow up (maintenance period). Each patient will participate in the study for 8 month. The entire study period will be 24 months. All patients with new onset type 2 diabetes (within 2 weeks of diagnosis) will be recruited from those referred to the Type 2 Diabetes Education Programme in the community ("FOCUS"), as per standard practice. The investigators will also hope to recruit direct from local GP surgeries who will be advised of the study. At this point, patients will be given a study information sheet with a contact number if they wish to participate in the study. Individuals who are unable to give consent, who would be unable to attend all the programme sessions for medical or other reasons, who are prescribed oral hypoglycaemic, antiobesity or any other prescription medications that may interfere with the study results or whose BMI is \< 25, will be excluded. The investigators will also exclude those who cannot converse competently in English as special arrangements would need to be made for such people attending the programme and this would be impractical in a group setting. Those willing to participate will be invited for an individual appointment with the dietitian, during which the study structure, aims and procedures will be explained and consent to participate in the study will be obtained. For the first session of the programme, participants will be asked to attend following an overnight fast. Blood samples will be taken for basal measureme