Receiving a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be all bad news. With the right nutrition plan and weight loss, you could be able to better manage diabetes and avoid further complications.
Can Weight Loss Cure Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes can’t be cured, but your condition can improve. Multiple studies over the past two decades have shown that losing weight leads to better outcomes for patients with Type 2 diabetes. Weight loss can also help prevent people with prediabetes from developing the disease.
In one comprehensive 2002 study, prediabetic people who lost 5% of their weight, reduced their fat intake and exercised more than four hours a week decreased their risk of developing diabetes by 58% over a four-year period. After following up years later, the majority of the participants still had not developed diabetes.
Weight Loss May Lead to Diabetes Remission
One 2017 study showed that people who were put on a strict meal replacement plan and then slowly reintroduced to a healthy diet while continuing to lose weight had normal blood glucose levels—that is, their diabetes went into remission. Those who did not lose weight did not see the same results, and the most successful group were those who lost more than 30 pounds.
Weight Loss Is Hard, But We Can Help
Losing weight isn’t easy, with or without diabetes. Keeping it off is even harder. However, there is increasing evidence that a high-fiber, low-glycemic diet may help people with a high fasting blood glucose level lose more weight, more quickly.
A nutritionist, diabetes educator, or primary care doctor can help put you on the right path to eating better. Our specialists can also suggest exercise programs to improve your cardiovascular health and boost your energy levels.