Losing weight can put type 2 diabetes in remission for at least five years, according to new 'life-changing' research.
Figures from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) show that around a quarter of people in remission from diabetes two years after starting a low-calorie diet were still in remission three years later. These people no longer needed to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels and had an average weight loss of around 1st 6lb (8.9kg) at the five-year point.
The data suggests that losing weight and keeping it off can help reverse diabetes, a serious condition that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, narrowing of blood vessels and nerve damage. Obesity is a major driver of type 2 diabetes, with research suggesting that obese people are up to 80 times more likely to develop the condition than those with a healthy body mass index (BMI) of less than 22.
