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A randomized trial of 96 adults aged 18 to 45 with obesity and early-onset type 2 diabetes found that 54% of participants assigned to an intensive diet-and-exercise program met the study’s remission criteria after 24 weeks, compared with about 4% receiving standard care. The findings are promising but come from a small trial and do not mean diabetes was permanently cured; longer-term results and details beyond the reported findings remain important.
A randomized clinical trial found that 27 of 50 younger adults with early-onset type 2 diabetes assigned to an intensive diet-and-exercise program met the study’s remission criteria after 24 weeks, compared with 2 of 46 participants receiving standard care. The results, reported at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting and published in The Lancet Regional Health Americas, suggest the approach may help some adults under 45, but remission does not mean the disease has been permanently cured.
The trial enrolled 96 adults aged 18 to 45 with obesity and early-onset type 2 diabetes who were not using insulin. Researchers randomly assigned 50 people to an intensive lifestyle program and 46 to standard care. The study took place at research centers affiliated with the University of Leicester in England, McGill University in Montreal and the University of Alberta in Edmonton. 86 participants completed final assessments.
For the first 12 weeks, the intensive program set daily intake at 800 to 900 calories. Participants attended supervised aerobic and resistance exercise twice a week and completed an additional exercise session independently. They began with two weeks of meal-replacement products, then could include one conventional meal each day while following the calorie target. During weeks 13 to 24, they shifted to a diet intended to maintain weight loss and continued exercising independently.
Remission was defined as an HbA1c below 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) and no glucose-lowering medication for at least 12 weeks. HbA1c reflects average blood sugar over roughly three months. The analysis included everyone assigned to each group; participants with missing remission data were counted as not having achieved remission. The source reports a 21-fold difference in the adjusted likelihood of remission, but the available report does not provide the full statistical details behind that estimate.
A Possible Route to Earlier Remission
Early-onset type 2 diabetes can bring a longer period of exposure to high blood sugar and may be associated with earlier complications and faster deterioration in blood sugar control, according to the report. A program that helps some younger adults reach remission could have meaningful health implications, particularly if the effect lasts and can be delivered safely in routine care. This trial offers evidence of a short-term benefit, not proof of lasting protection from complications.
The gap between the groups—54% versus about 4%—is large in this study, but the findings should be weighed against its size and duration. The intervention was intensive, medically supervised and included a very low-calorie diet alongside structured exercise. The trial does not establish that the same results would occur with a less intensive plan, in people outside the study’s age and health criteria, or without clinical monitoring.
Remission is also different from a cure. Under the study’s definition, blood sugar fell below the diabetes threshold while participants were off glucose-lowering medication for a specified period. The report does not show whether remission persisted after the 24-week assessment. People with diabetes should not stop medication or attempt a severe calorie restriction based on these results without discussing care with a qualified health professional.
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How the Trial Tested the Program
Previous research has found that very low-calorie diets can lower blood sugar enough for some people with type 2 diabetes to meet remission criteria. The research team, led by Professor Kaberi Dasgupta of McGill University and Professor Thomas Yates of the University of Leicester, tested whether adding structured exercise could improve outcomes for adults diagnosed before age 45. Exercise may support fitness and help preserve muscle during weight loss, but the trial’s reported remission result is the central finding here.
Participants in the intervention group discontinued blood-sugar-lowering medicines at the start of the program under medical supervision. The report also says blood-pressure medication was stopped in specified circumstances, with an exception related to albuminuria, a finding that can indicate kidney damage. This supervised medication change is part of the study protocol, not a general recommendation. The trial was open-label, so participants and researchers knew treatment assignments, although assessment of the main outcome was blinded.
Enrollment ran from September 24, 2021, to June 6, 2025. The study tested outcomes at 24 weeks, and the results were presented at the EASD meeting and published in October 2026. That timeline means the reported remission rate describes the trial’s six-month assessment, rather than longer-term disease status.
How Long Remission May Last
The reported results do not establish how many participants stayed in remission after the 24-week endpoint or whether they later needed medication again. Longer follow-up would help clarify whether the changes persisted and whether they affected diabetes-related complications, cardiovascular health or other outcomes.
The available source summary also does not give full details on adverse events, weight change by group, adherence, or the confidence intervals and statistical methods behind the reported 21-fold adjusted likelihood. Although 86 of 96 participants completed final assessments, the outcomes of those without complete assessments were handled conservatively as non-remission in the main analysis. The study’s size, intensive design and eligibility criteria limit how broadly its results can be applied.
Longer Follow-Up Will Matter
The next key evidence will be whether participants maintain remission after the program ends and how their health changes over a longer period. Further reporting or follow-up from the research team may address durability, safety, the role of weight maintenance and whether the approach can be offered beyond specialist trial settings. The source material does not specify a date for those results.
For now, the findings add evidence that a closely supervised diet-and-exercise program can lead to short-term remission for some younger adults with obesity and early-onset type 2 diabetes. They do not establish a permanent cure or a self-directed treatment plan. Decisions about medication, diet and exercise remain matters for individuals and their clinicians.
Key Questions
What did the trial find?
After 24 weeks, 27 of 50 participants assigned to the intensive diet-and-exercise program met the study’s remission definition. In the standard-care group, 2 of 46 did so.
How did the study define remission?
Participants needed an HbA1c below 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) and no glucose-lowering medication for at least 12 weeks. The study’s definition does not mean diabetes was permanently cured.
What did the intensive program involve?
For 12 weeks, participants followed a diet of 800 to 900 calories per day and exercised, including two supervised sessions weekly and one independent session. They then moved to a weight-maintenance diet and continued exercising independently through week 24.
Does this mean people should stop diabetes medication or start a very low-calorie diet?
No. Medication changes and the restricted diet in the trial were medically supervised. The results are not personal medical advice; anyone considering changes to diabetes treatment should consult a qualified health professional.
Is it known whether remission lasted beyond six months?
The reported findings assess remission at 24 weeks. The source material does not establish how long participants remained in remission afterward.
Source: sciencedaily.com
