For many years, the advice has been clear: people with prediabetes should lose weight to reduce their risk of developing the disease.
However, according to The Conversation, this approach has not always worked in practice.
Many people find it difficult to lose weight, while the number of individuals with diabetes continues to rise globally.
This has led researchers to investigate whether other factors may play a role.
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Where fat is stored
New research, published in Nature Medicine, shows that blood sugar levels can return to normal without weight loss.
According to The Conversation, about one in four participants in a lifestyle program experienced this outcome.
The explanation is not only about how much fat the body has, but also where it is stored. Fat around the organs can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar.
By contrast, fat located just under the skin may have a more positive effect on the body’s metabolism.
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A new approach
The research also indicates that certain hormones help the body manage blood sugar more effectively.
At the same time, exercise and a diet rich in healthy fats can change how fat is distributed in the body.
This shifts the understanding of the disease. What matters is not necessarily weight loss, but how the body functions internally.
In some cases, prediabetes can disappear without weight loss if fat is distributed differently and metabolism improves.
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Sources: Science Daily, The Conversation, and Nature Medicine.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.