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News
More than half of younger adults with type 2 diabetes achieved remission through an 800–900 kcal/day diet paired with supervised exercise, according to the RESET for Remission trial. The 24-week lifestyle intervention drove significant reductions in fat mass—including liver and pancreatic fat—while preserving muscle. No glucose-lowering drugs were needed for those who hit remission.
A new clinical trial is making a strong case that lifestyle changes alone can reverse type 2 diabetes in younger adults. The RESET for Remission trial found that 54% of participants who followed a structured low-energy diet and supervised exercise program achieved diabetes remission at 24 weeks—compared to just 4% in the usual care group. The findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting and published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas.
The intervention involved an 800–900 kcal/day diet for the first 12 weeks (with glucose-lowering meds paused), plus two supervised 1-hour exercise sessions per week combining aerobic and resistance training. After 12 weeks, participants transitioned to a maintenance phase with dietitian and exercise physiologist support. Adherence was notably high—participants attended a median of 10 out of 11 dietitian sessions and 17 out of 20 exercise sessions.
By the numbers:
Why it matters: These results suggest that a structured diet-plus-exercise program can rival the fat-reduction effects of newer obesity medications like tirzepatide—without the drugs. For younger adults with early-onset type 2 diabetes, this approach offers a compelling, medication-free path to remission.
