Diet and supervised exercise put early-onset type 2 diabetes into remission for 54%
In the RESET for Remission trial, 27 of 50 adults aged 18 to 45 with obesity and early-onset type 2 diabetes reached remission after 24 weeks of a low-energy diet and exercise, compared with 2 of 46 receiving usual care. The Lancet Regional Health – Americas study defined remission as HbA1c below 6.5% without glucose-lowering medication for at least 12 weeks.
Bottom line — At 24 weeks, remission was 54% with the programme and 4% with usual care; how long the effect lasts remains unknown.
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The intervention began with 800–900 calories a day; supervised aerobic and resistance sessions were scheduled twice weekly, with one independent workout.
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Participants moved to a weight-maintenance diet and independent exercise for weeks 13–24.
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The team reported an adjusted 7.5 kg greater weight loss than with usual care, including 6.6 kg more fat loss, with no significant group differences in lean mass or muscle volume.
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Hypertension remission at week 24 was 56% in the intervention group and 27% with usual care.
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Medscape reports 90% completed final assessments. No severe adverse events were reported; common effects included fatigue, headache, dizziness and constipation.
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The trial compared diet plus exercise with usual care, not diet alone, so it cannot isolate the exercise component’s contribution, Medscape notes.
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The authors say longer-term studies are needed to test whether remission and muscle preservation persist after the programme.