People who were able to reverse their diabetes diagnosis by participating in a weight loss trial also had a reduced risk of heart and kidney disease, according to a new study.

The LOOK AHEAD trial, completed in 2016, followed more than 5,000 people for 12 years. This study showed that a combination of portion-controlled eating and exercise may help people with diabetes lose weight. But overall, the risk of heart disease did not decrease.

Published in March 2024 issue Diabetologythe new study focused specifically on LOOK AHEAD participants (approximately 18% of the total) who did not require diabetes medication and showed evidence of diabetes remission, defined as near-normal blood sugar levels at some point. Ta.

People who achieved remission had 40% lower rates of cardiovascular disease and 33% lower rates of chronic kidney disease compared to those who did not achieve remission. The authors said this effect was likely due to improvements in participants’ weight, physical fitness, blood sugar levels, and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

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