In a recent study from the UK’s Cambridge Department of Public Health and Primary Care, a group of 867 people, aged between 40 and 69 (and all newly diagnosed with diabetes) were followed over a course of 5 years. Upon the conclusion of their five-year follow-up, researchers found that 257 of the original 867 had managed to put their diabetes into remission. 

The research team also stated it would be possible for diabetics to attain normal blood glucose levels again, albeit, through an extremely restricted diet of just 700 calories a day. It may seem impossible, but this dramatically low-calorie diet was correlated with remission of diabetes in nine out of ten cases and was associated with the rates of remission in half of long-term diabetics.

A new study proved weight loss and diabetes remission are closely linked.

The good news, however, is that such a drastic diet isn’t the only path toward remission. The new study discovered that even modest (but swift) weight loss upon diagnosis is a very effective way to keep the disease at bay, with study participants who managed to lose just 10% of their weight being doubly likely to bid their diabetes good-bye.

Of note, the diabetes in question which researchers were studying was of the type 2 variety, with no data collected on those with type 1 or gestational diabetes. Upon conclusion of this study, researchers stated their next endeavor will be a related study focusing on the best ways to help diabetics lose weight and keep it off long-term.