A new study led by McGill University suggests that young adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before 45 can achieve remission through a structured programme combining calorie restriction and exercise, potentially altering the course of the disease.
A new study suggests that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 45 may be able to put the condition into remission through a structured combination of calorie-restricted eating and exercise. The findings, linked to work led by Kaberi Dasgupta of McGill University in Montreal, add to evidence that early intervention can do more than improve blood sugar control: it may also change the course of the disease itself.
According to reporting on the research, the programme combined a low-energy diet with both aerobic exercise and resistance training, the latter being strength-based exercise aimed at building or preserving muscle. The study found that this approach produced high rates of remission, while also reducing body fat and helping participants keep lean tissue. It also appeared to improve muscle quality and function, alongside cardiovascular health and patient-reported outcomes.
The research was carried out at three centres in England and Canada, involving institutions linked to the University of Leicester, McGill University and the University of Alberta, according to Healthline. The same report said the results were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Milan and later published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. In that account, remission was achieved in roughly half of participants.
Dasgupta, who directs general internal medicine at McGill University, has long focused on diabetes prevention and management. McGill says her work centres on diabetes and related complications, and her background in outcomes research helps explain the study’s emphasis not just on laboratory measures, but on how patients actually feel and function. The wider implication is that for adults who develop type 2 diabetes early in life, a carefully supervised weight-loss and exercise plan may offer a realistic route to remission, rather than simply lifelong disease control.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
