Diet and exercise can lower blood sugar without medication before age 45, study finds

A new study suggests that blood sugar levels can drop below the threshold used to diagnose diabetes without the use of medication, offering promising results for younger people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The research focused on young adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity, finding that a structured diet and exercise program led to remission of the disease in more than half of the participants in the intervention group over a 24-week period.

A structured approach

Participants followed a combined nutritional and physical activity regimen designed to address both weight and blood sugar control simultaneously, rather than relying on pharmaceutical treatment.

Researchers noted that achieving remission through lifestyle changes alone, without medication, represents a significant outcome given the typically progressive nature of type 2 diabetes, particularly when diagnosed at a younger age.

The findings add to a growing body of research examining how intensive lifestyle interventions can alter the trajectory of type 2 diabetes in younger populations, who face an increased risk of long-term complications due to earlier disease onset.