Normalising blood sugars could cut type 2 diabetes risk in half

Prediabetes has long been thought to lead to type 2 diabetes, but according to new Deakin research for some that isn’t always the case.

The global study led by Deakin’s Institute for Physical and Mental Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) found that people living with prediabetes who return to normal blood sugar levels can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than half.

The lasting effects of diabetes

Impacting around 2 million Australian adults, prediabetes involves a person’s blood sugar being higher than normal, without being high enough to classify as diabetes.

It’s estimated that 1 in 10 of these people develop type 2 diabetes every year.

The economic cost of diabetes in Australia is approximately $9.1 billion each year. Without continued investment, up to 3.6 million people could be living with diabetes by 2050, according to Diabetes Australia.

Depending on individual experiences, blood sugar management can be highly complex and significantly impact mental health, work readiness and quality of life.

Current clinical guidelines tend to focus on delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes.

Previous research by graduate researcher Dr Najmeh Davoodian and her supervisor Associate Professor Mohammadreza Mohebbi , has found new evidence for a more proactive approach: restoring normal blood sugar levels as a primary target.

Building on this work, Dr Davoodian’s latest study tracked 8,000 individuals with prediabtes across Australia, Asia and the United States over several years to find out the effectiveness of that approach.

‘People who managed to return to normal glucose levels had a 51% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,’ Dr Davoodian said. ‘That’s a significant reduction and a clear signal that reversal is possible.’

People who managed to return to normal glucose levels had a 51% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,’ Dr Davoodian said. ‘That’s a significant reduction and a clear signal that reversal is possible.

Dr Najmeh Davoodian, IMPACT graduate researcher

A preventative approach

The study also found that the benefits were even greater for people who had healthy cardiometabolic profiles – meaning normal levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, body weight and waist measurements.

For example, non-smokers and those with a healthy body mass index saw their risk drop by up to 80-85%. Participants who lost weight and restored normal blood sugar levels had significantly lower risk than those who gained weight and remained prediabetic.

However, for participants who remained prediabetic, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes doubled, even after accounting for demographic and cardiometabolic factors.

‘These findings show that restoring normal blood sugar levels is most effective when it’s part of a broader picture of good health,’ Dr Davoodian said.

'‘Start treating it as a reversible condition’

Dr Davoodian and her team are encouraging doctors and health organisations to rethink how they treat people with prediabetes.

The research team is calling for updates to medical guidelines so that, in people with prediabetes, restoring healthy blood sugar and managing these related health risks becomes a clear and active goal in patient care.

‘This is a wake-up call,’ Dr Davoodian said. ‘We need to stop thinking of prediabetes as a slow march toward diabetes and start treating it as a reversible condition.’

Find out more about IMPACT and Dr Najmeh Davoodian’s research.

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