Reported by ScienceDaily
A carefully structured combination of diet and exercise may offer a powerful way to put type 2 diabetes into remission in younger adults. In a new clinical trial, more than half of participants who followed an intensive lifestyle program achieved remission within just six months, compared with only 4% of those receiving standard care.
The findings, presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and published in The Lancet Regional Health Americas , suggest that a low-calorie diet paired with regular exercise could significantly change the course of early-onset type 2 diabetes (EOT2D) (aged under 45 years).
The research was conducted by Professor Kaberi Dasgupta, Director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, Professor Thomas Yates of the University of Leicester in the UK, and their colleagues.
More from the original report
Type 2 diabetes diagnosed at a younger age can be particularly aggressive. People with early-onset type 2 diabetes (EOT2D) often experience a faster decline in blood sugar control, develop complications earlier in life, and face a shorter life expectancy than those diagnosed at older ages.
Previous research has shown that very low-calorie diets (LEDs) can lower blood sugar enough for some people to achieve remission without diabetes medication (T2D remission). Remission means blood sugar has fallen below the threshold used to diagnose diabetes and remains there without glucose-lowering drugs. However, it does not necessarily mean the disease has been permanently cured.
Researchers wanted to find out whether adding structured exercise could make this approach even more effective. Beyond helping regulate blood sugar, physical activity could improve fitness, protect muscle during weight loss, strengthen heart function, and reduce insulin resistance.
To investigate, the team tested whether combining a low-calorie diet with supervised exercise could achieve remission after 24 weeks, compared with standard medical care.
The randomized clinical trial took place at three research centers in England and Canada (affiliated with the University of Leicester, UK, McGill University (Montreal), and the University of Alberta, Edmonton). It enrolled adults aged 18 to 45 who had early-onset type 2 diabetes and obesity but were…