What a new study reveals about reversing type 2 diabetes

A study published October 1 in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas tested whether intensive weight loss combined with structured exercise could put early-onset type 2 diabetes into remission, WRAL reported. Researchers enrolled 96 adults ages 18 to 45 who had obesity and had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the previous six years. The small clinical trial was conducted in Canada and the United Kingdom, with participants averaging about 38 years old and having lived with diabetes for just over two years.

After six months, 54% of participants in the intervention group achieved diabetes remission, compared with just 4% receiving usual care, according to WRAL. Remission was defined as a hemoglobin A1c level below 6.5% without glucose-lowering medication for at least three months.

During the first 12 weeks, the intervention group followed a supervised diet restricting calories to 800 to 900 daily, consuming only meal replacements for the first two weeks before adding one regular meal daily. Beginning in week three, participants attended two weekly exercise sessions combining aerobic activity with resistance training, plus one independent aerobic session weekly. During the final 12 weeks, they gradually returned to regular food while continuing exercise and receiving support from dietitians and exercise specialists.

The intervention group lost approximately 16.5 pounds more than the usual care group and improved cardiorespiratory fitness, with lower resting heart rate and improved exercise capacity. Grip strength improved by approximately 8%, suggesting muscles became stronger even as weight was lost.

CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University, told WRAL that early-onset type 2 diabetes tends to progress more rapidly than later-life diagnoses, with faster progression and higher complication risk. She cautioned that the calorie limitation was severe and should not be attempted without close medical supervision, especially for people taking insulin or sulfonylureas who can develop dangerously low blood sugar.

Wen noted several limitations: the trial was small, included only younger adults with obesity and recent diagnoses, excluded people on insulin and those with certain complications, and followed participants for only six months. Remission measured during this period does not mean diabetes has been permanently reversed or cured, and longer-term research is needed to determine how many can maintain remission over several years.