Weight loss is one of the standard recommendations for those with prediabetes to prevent their condition from progressing. However, it may not be the only way to bring prediabetes into remission. A 2025 study analysis published in Nature Medicine found that achieving prediabetes remission is possible without weight loss.
This paper analyzed results from the ongoing multicenter PLIS study in Germany, where participants received the intervention for 12 months and were followed up with for 9 years through metabolic phenotyping, including oral glucose tolerance tests and whole-body MRIs for assessment of body fat distribution. The study found that prediabetes remission occurred without weight loss, changes to body composition, or changes to physical fitness in 51 of the 1,105 subjects.
In sum, this study demonstrated that people with prediabetes can significantly reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes even if they do not lose weight, as long as their blood sugar returns to normal levels. Prediabetes remission was associated with improvements in insulin sensitivity, beta-cell function, and GLP-1 responsiveness. The study suggests that normalizing blood sugar may be more important for preventing type 2 diabetes than losing weight.
Read the full study at Nature Medicine.
