You probably know someone who was told to lose weight after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Most people hear that as a slow uphill climb. A new trial out of Canada and the UK suggests the climb can look very different for younger patients.
The trial included 96 adults aged 18 to 45 with early-onset type 2 diabetes.
After 24 weeks on a very low-calorie diet plus supervised exercise, 54% reached full remission. In the usual-care group, only 4% did.
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Called RESET for Remission, the study was published on October 1, 2026, in The Lancet Regional Health Americas.
After adjustment for other factors, people in the diet-and-exercise group were about 21 times more likely to reach remission than those in usual care.
Remission here meant blood sugar back in the healthy range (HbA1c under 6.5%) and no glucose-lowering medication for at least 12 weeks.
What the 24-week plan involved
Participants ate 800 to 900 calories a day for the first 12 weeks. The food mix was 30% protein, 50% carbohydrate, and 20% fat.
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On top of the diet came two supervised sessions a week of combined aerobic and resistance training, plus a third session the participants did on their own.
Weeks 13 to 24 shifted to a weight-maintenance diet with independent exercise.
The intervention group lost an average of 8.4 kg (about 18.5 lb) over 24 weeks, compared with 1.2 kg (around 2.6 lb) in the control group. Most of the loss was fat.
The intervention group also shed 6.6 kg more fat mass than the control group. Handgrip strength and muscle mass were preserved.
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Why early-onset diabetes was the focus
Early-onset type 2 diabetes means cases diagnosed before age 45.
According to the researchers, this group carries a higher lifetime risk of heart disease and other complications than people diagnosed later.
Mean age in the trial was 38. The average body mass index was 35.2, which falls in the obese range.
The trial was led by Professor Kaberi Dasgupta of McGill University and Professor Thomas Yates of the University of Leicester.
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They say it is the first to show such results in a multi-ethnic group with early-onset type 2 diabetes.
The resistance-training piece was included specifically to protect muscle during rapid weight loss, according to the research team.
The before-and-after body composition numbers suggest the approach held up.
People considering a very low-calorie plan on their own should talk to their doctor first.
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The trial's diet was closely supervised and used specific calorie and macronutrient targets, not an at-home version.
This article is made and published by Mie Hermansen, who may have used AI in the preparation.