Research

Energy balance

An intensive lifestyle intervention combining a low-energy diet (approx. 800 kcal/day via meal replacements) and physical activity (≥150 min/week) can induce remission of type 2 diabetes in younger patients with early-onset disease.

If you have early-stage type 2 diabetes and are under 50, a structured program involving very low-calorie meal replacements (around 800 calories) for the first few months, followed by a gradual return to solid foods, combined with at least 150 minutes of weekly exercise, may help you achieve diabetes remission. This approach focuses on significant weight loss rather than just symptom management.

ModerateSupportsLOW confidence
The key hypotheses of DIADEM-I are that an ILI combining an individualised LED approach with physical activity in subjects with early T2DM, compared to the usual medical care (UMC) group, will result in: 1. Improvement in glycaemic control 2. Greater weight loss 3. Potential remission of diabetes 4. Improved quality of life
Shahrad Taheri et al. · Trials · 2018

Why this rating

This is a study protocol for an ongoing trial; no results are reported yet, so evidence is currently hypothetical/preliminary.

Source

Diabetes Intervention Accentuating Diet and Enhancing Metabolism (DIADEM-I): a randomised controlled trial to examine the impact of an intensive lifestyle intervention consisting of a low-energy diet and physical activity on body weight and metabolism in early type 2 diabetes mellitus: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Shahrad Taheri et al. · Trials · 2018

DOI 10.1186/s13063-018-2660-1

rct · n=138Cited 19×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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