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DiRECT: Type 2 diabetes remission through weight management

The primary findings

The ground-breaking Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) showed for the first time that substantial weight loss achieved with diet alone in a primary care setting could reverse type 2 diabetes.

News | 4-min read

DiRECT: Diabetes remission achievable in primary care

Nearly half of the patients helped to follow a very-low-calorie diet for at least 3 months achieved and maintained remission of type 2 diabetes over the 12 months of the DiRECT intervention, the investigators report. 

The 2-year outcomes

The DiRECT investigators followed up the study participants to assess how many remained in remission.

News | 4-min read

Diabetes remission durable for a third of DiRECT participants

Just over a third of people who undertook a period on a very-low-calorie diet in the DiRECT trial to tackle type 2 diabetes are in remission 24 months later, the investigators have reported.

Translating DiRECT

How does the intervention work in routine practice and outside of the UK?

In depth | 25-min listen

The DiRECT approach to weight loss: Efficacious and pragmatic

DiRECT trial dietitian Alison Barnes discusses the challenges and triumphs of using a very-low-calorie, total-meal-replacement diet to help people with type 2 diabetes achieve weight loss and maintenance.

Latest reporting on DiRECT

More research findings from the DiRECT, including mechanisms and cost-effectiveness.

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Weight gain

01-12-2021 | Diet | News

Ghrelin changes predict weight regain after DiRECT diet

Ghrelin is the only appetite-related hormone that predicted weight regain among the participants of the DiRECT trial, say the researchers.

10-09-2020 | Diet | News

Pancreatic morphology normalizes with sustained type 2 diabetes remission

Sustained remission of type 2 diabetes in DiRECT was accompanied by normalization of pancreatic morphology, say the researchers.

09-09-2020 | Diet | News

Weight loss strongest predictor of remission in DiRECT

The strongest predictor of type 2 diabetes remission is weight loss, with other variables only modestly associated with outcome and insufficient to identify people unsuitable for attempting this goal, shows a post-hoc analysis of DiRECT data.

06-19-2019 | Diet | ADA 2019 | News

DiRECT: Beta cells ‘not dead’ in type 2 diabetes

People who achieved sustained remission of type 2 diabetes via substantial weight loss in the DiRECT trial regained normal maximal beta-cell capacity, the investigators report.

05-15-2019 | Diet | News

DiRECT/Counterweight-Plus intervention could be cost-effective long-term

Type 2 diabetes remission can be achieved within 1 year at a cost below the average annual cost of diabetes management, even when including complications, shows an economic evaluation of the DiRECT/Counterweight-Plus weight management program.

03-20-2018 | Diet | News

DiRECT: Effects on insulin and liver fat revealed

Researchers from the DiRECT trial have reported large positive effects on liver fat and insulin secretion among people who achieved type 2 diabetes remission in response to a very-low-calorie diet.

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