The key facts

  • Remission was achieved by 27 of 50 participants in the intensive program (54%) versus 2 of 46 in the control group
  • The program: 800–900 kcal per day for the first 12 weeks plus exercise, followed by 12 weeks of weight maintenance
  • Average weight loss was about 8.4 kg versus 1.2 kg with standard treatment

What the study showed

A low-calorie diet and exercise program helped achieve remission of type 2 diabetes in 54% of young participants over 24 weeks, while the rate in the standard treatment group was about 4%. This was reported by Gazeta.Ru, citing the results of the RESET for Remission study published in The Lancet Regional Health — Americas.

How the trial was conducted

The randomized trial in the UK and Canada involved 96 people aged 18 to 45 with type 2 diabetes and obesity who were not taking insulin. The average age was 38. Fifty participants were enrolled in the intensive program, while the remaining 46 continued standard treatment.

How the program worked

During the first 12 weeks, the program included a diet of 800–900 kilocalories per day and structured aerobic and strength training sessions. Two workouts per week took place under the supervision of specialists, and participants did one more on their own. This was followed by 12 weeks of maintaining the reduced weight and independent physical activity.

Criteria and results

Remission was defined as an HbA1c glycated hemoglobin level below 6.5% without glucose-lowering medications for at least 12 weeks. By the end of follow-up, this was achieved by 27 of the 50 program participants and two of the 46 in the control group. Participants without final data were classified as not having achieved remission. Participants in the intensive program also lost more weight: among those who completed the final weighing, the average reduction was about 8.4 kilograms versus 1.2 kilograms in the comparison group.

Context

The gap between the groups — 54% versus roughly 4% — shows that in young patients not on insulin therapy, type 2 diabetes remission can be achieved through non-drug methods within a structured program. However, this is a single trial with 96 participants and a strict accounting criterion: missing final data were counted as absence of remission, so it is premature to extrapolate the result to all patients with type 2 diabetes. Earlier, a doctor explained how to tell type 2 diabetes apart from LADA diabetes,the outlet notes.