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Lifestyle
PubMed (Open Access Guidelines) · December 1, 2026
Researchers found that migrant women from lower-income countries living in wealthier countries have a higher chance of developing diabetes during pregnancy or type 2 diabetes overall. A collection of studies looked at programs designed specifically for these women — including nutrition guidance in their own language, culturally familiar food choices, and community-based physical activity — lasting anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 months. These tailored programs were linked to improvements in eating habits, physical activity levels, and blood sugar control (A1C) among the women who took part.
Lifestyle
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that eating a low-carbohydrate diet built around plant foods — think vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains, while cutting back heavily on bread, sugar, and starchy foods — helped people with obesity or related health conditions lose roughly 5 to 7 kilograms (about 11 to 15 pounds). The same approach also lowered harmful LDL cholesterol and improved blood sugar level (A1C), which measures how well the body has been managing blood sugar over the past few months. These results came from seven studies involving nearly 1,000 adults and lasted anywhere from about one month to one year.
Watch Out For
FDA MedWatch · June 4, 2026
Be aware that certain Omnipod insulin pump pods may have a small tear in the tubing inside the device, which can cause insulin to leak out rather than being delivered into the body — meaning people using these pods might not be getting the insulin they need. This could lead to higher-than-expected blood sugar levels, which might show up as increased thirst, frequent urination, or feeling unusually tired or unwell. Anyone using an Omnipod pod who notices unexpectedly high blood sugar readings or these kinds of symptoms should contact their doctor promptly.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient uses an Omnipod insulin pump and, if so, whether the patient should check for any recalls related to tubing tears that could cause insulin leaks.
What's New
ScienceDaily · June 3, 2026
A press release describes an experimental pill being developed for type 2 diabetes and obesity that works differently from a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza — instead of reducing appetite, it targets the muscles to help the body burn fat and manage blood sugar control, while keeping muscle mass intact. Early results suggest it appears to be safe and well tolerated by patients. Because this is a press release about early-stage research and not yet a published study, it's worth watching but hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
ScienceDaily · June 3, 2026
A study found that eating french fries three times a week was linked to a 20% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes, while potatoes prepared other ways — like baked, boiled, or mashed — didn't show the same risk. The researchers also found that swapping potatoes for whole grains (like brown rice or oats) was linked to lower diabetes risk, but swapping them for white rice had the opposite effect. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
JAMA · June 2, 2026
A study explored how exercise fits into weight loss plans, especially for people taking a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza, and found that getting patients to stick with regular exercise is a real challenge for doctors. Researchers looked at strategies that could help people stay consistent with physical activity, whether or not they're on these medications. This matters because exercise likely plays an important supporting role in weight management, and patients might want to ask their doctor what realistic, personalized movement goals could look like for them.
Lifestyle
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that for people with prediabetes — meaning their blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at the diabetes level — making lifestyle changes like improving their diet and getting more physical activity was most effective when it led to losing at least 5% of their body weight (for example, about 10 pounds for a 200-pound person). People who reached that weight loss goal were nearly twice as likely to see their blood sugar return to a healthy range compared to those who lost less. The study looked at results from 77 separate studies involving more than 22,000 people.
Guidelines
PubMed · June 1, 2026
According to the Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement (SPAQI) guidelines, people taking a diabetes medication like Jardiance or Invokana need special attention around the time of surgery, because stopping or continuing this medication requires careful planning based on each person's health conditions and the type of procedure they're having. A key concern is a serious complication called euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis — where dangerous acids build up in the blood even when blood sugar levels look normal — so the guidelines include specific steps for monitoring and preventing it. These recommendations aim to help medical teams make safer, more personalized decisions for each patient in the period surrounding surgery.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient needs to stop taking SGLT2 inhibitors like Jardiance or Invokana before any upcoming surgery, and if so, how many days before the procedure.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that people with prediabetes — a stage where blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at diabetes levels — who added fiber supplements (from potato fiber and sugar beet pectin) to a high-protein diet showed early signs of changes in brain activity related to food cravings, particularly in the amygdala, a part of the brain involved in emotional responses and desire for food. The idea behind this is that fiber is broken down in the gut and may send signals to the brain that help people feel fuller and less drawn to high-calorie foods, which could potentially help with weight and blood sugar control. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that lifestyle programs offered in primary care settings — like coaching on healthy eating and exercise — did not significantly reduce the chances of people with prediabetes (a stage where blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at diabetes levels) developing type 2 diabetes, nor did these programs show clear improvements in blood sugar level (A1C), body weight, or blood pressure across the 14 studies reviewed. This might matter for people with prediabetes because it raises questions about whether the way these programs are currently delivered in primary care is as effective as hoped, even though lifestyle changes are widely considered important for prevention. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that when people with obesity lost weight using diabetes medications like Ozempic or Victoza (including newer versions that work two ways at once), roughly a quarter to a third of the weight they lost came from muscle rather than fat — a pattern that was similar to what happened with diet and exercise changes alone. The most encouraging finding was that adding resistance training (such as weightlifting or strength exercises) to a lifestyle program led to the least amount of muscle loss during weight loss, compared to any other approach studied. For someone with obesity, this matters because keeping muscle while losing weight helps maintain strength and long-term health. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that several factors work together to raise the risk of type 2 diabetes — including low physical activity, limited understanding of health information, and cultural beliefs that can make it harder to stick with treatment. The review also looked at how computer-based tools might one day help predict who is at risk, though the researchers noted that no single study had yet combined all these pieces into one clear picture. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that for people with metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, excess belly fat, and blood sugar problems — high-intensity interval training (short bursts of hard effort followed by rest) was the most effective type of exercise for lowering blood pressure, outperforming steady aerobic exercise, strength training, and mind-body practices like yoga or tai chi. The benefits were especially noticeable in people who already had high blood pressure and in those who kept up their exercise program for 16 weeks or longer. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that eating a low-carbohydrate diet (where roughly 1 in 4 calories comes from carbs, like bread, pasta, and sugar) and eating a low-fat diet (where about 1 in 4 calories comes from fat) produced nearly identical results when it came to reducing inflammation in people with obesity — inflammation being the body's low-level, ongoing stress response that can quietly raise the risk of disease. The study looked at 25 separate studies involving over 2,000 adults, following them for an average of about six months. In short, neither eating style had a clear edge over the other for calming inflammation markers in the body.
Medications
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that tirzepatide (brand name Zepbound or Mounjaro) helped people with obesity meaningfully reduce their waist size relative to their height — a measure linked to health risks like serious heart problems and diabetes. After about 72 weeks, more than half of people taking the higher doses moved into a healthier category for this measurement, compared to fewer than 1 in 10 people taking a placebo (an inactive treatment). This appears to be a new finding about how tirzepatide affects body shape and fat distribution, not just overall weight.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that adults with prediabetes and obesity who followed a ketogenic diet (a very low-carb, high-fat eating plan) combined with eating fewer calories lost significantly more weight and body fat over 12 weeks than those on a regular diet — and also showed improvements in insulin resistance, meaning their bodies responded better to insulin and had better blood sugar control. However, researchers also found that this diet raised blood levels of a substance called LPS (a marker linked to inflammation that comes from gut bacteria), which could potentially be a concern, even though a key inflammation signal called IL-6 went down at the same time. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed (Open Access Guidelines) · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that, based on data from over 219,000 people across 105 studies, taking a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza — or a diabetes medication like Jardiance or Invokana — was generally not linked to a higher risk of serious infections like sepsis (a life-threatening response when an infection spreads through the body). This matters for people with type 2 diabetes because many already have a higher chance of getting infections, so knowing these widely used medications don't appear to make that risk worse is reassuring. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with prediabetes — blood sugar levels higher than normal but not yet diabetic — may actually fall into three distinct metabolic groups, each with a different risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a different response to lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. Most notably, one group whose bodies struggled to produce enough insulin had the highest risk of progressing to diabetes, yet they also benefited the most from lifestyle changes, cutting their risk roughly in half compared to those who didn't make changes. Understanding which subgroup a person belongs to could eventually help doctors tailor prevention strategies more precisely. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that adults with prediabetes who did moderate aerobic exercise — treadmill walking and cycling three times a week for 12 weeks — showed signs of healthier blood vessels compared to those who didn't exercise. Specifically, researchers measured two markers of blood vessel health: the thickness of artery walls in the neck and blood flow efficiency from the heart to the legs, both of which improved in the exercise group. The study also found changes in a tiny biological molecule called miR-126, which plays a role in keeping blood vessels working properly.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that eating while watching TV or doing something passive — like listening to a podcast — led people to eat noticeably more food compared to eating without any distraction. However, when the distraction involved physical activity, that effect wasn't seen. For people managing obesity, this matters because small, repeated increases in how much is eaten during passive screen time could add up over time. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that people taking metformin — a common medication used to manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetes — tend to build up higher levels of lactate in their blood during exercise. Lactate is a byproduct that muscles produce when they work hard, and too much of it can cause fatigue and that familiar burning feeling during physical activity, which may affect how well someone is able to exercise. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Watch Out For
FDA MedWatch · May 26, 2026
Be aware that Insulet has issued a voluntary safety correction for certain Omnipod 5, Omnipod DASH, and Omnipod Eros insulin pods due to a manufacturing problem identified in specific batches. People using these devices should check whether their pods are part of the affected lots, since a faulty pod could affect how insulin is delivered, which may impact blood sugar control. Anyone using an Omnipod pod who notices unexpected changes in their blood sugar levels or unusual pod behavior should contact their doctor promptly.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient's Omnipod pods are part of the voluntary correction that Insulet announced, and what the patient should do if they are.
What's New
PubMed · May 26, 2026
Researchers found that people who ate more red meat, processed meat, and cream — while eating less fruit, vegetables, and tea — were more likely to have problems with how their liver processed insulin, a hormone that helps control blood sugar. This "insulin resistance" in the liver makes it harder for the body to keep blood sugar levels steady, which is a key concern for people with type 2 diabetes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
ScienceDaily · May 22, 2026
A study found that eating 6–7 ounces of beef every day for a month did not make blood sugar control worse in people with prediabetes — a condition where blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at diabetes levels — compared to people who ate poultry instead. Researchers also saw no changes in insulin function (how well the body manages sugar) or inflammation, which are both important factors in whether prediabetes progresses to type 2 diabetes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · May 21, 2026
Researchers found that oral semaglutide — a diabetes and weight-loss medication known by the brand name Rybelsus (the pill form of the same drug in Ozempic) — helped people with overweight or obesity lose weight and improve their blood sugar level (A1C) compared to a placebo, or sugar pill. The analysis pulled together results from 13 studies involving more than 26,000 people, making it a fairly large look at the evidence. This appears to be a new finding adding to what we know about how the pill form of this medication may help with weight and heart-health-related factors beyond just blood sugar control.
What's New
PubMed · May 10, 2026
Researchers found that people with prediabetes — a stage where blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at diabetes levels — who took a liquid concentrate made from carob fruit for 90 days saw meaningful improvements in their blood sugar level (A1C) and how their bodies handled sugar compared to those who took a placebo (an inactive product). The carob concentrate contains natural compounds called inositols, which appear to help the body respond better to insulin, the hormone that keeps blood sugar in check. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with prediabetes — a stage where blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at diabetes levels — who managed to bring their blood sugar back to a healthy range were 68% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to those whose prediabetes stayed the same. However, the study did not find a clear difference in the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, or death, between those who reversed their prediabetes and those who didn't. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that a traditional Chinese movement practice called Five-Animal Play — which involves gentle, flowing exercises mimicking animal movements — helped people with prediabetes (a stage where blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet at diabetes levels) improve their blood sugar control (A1C) and reduce insulin resistance (meaning their bodies got better at using insulin) as effectively as a probiotic supplement called Bifidobacterium. Five-Animal Play actually outperformed standard low-intensity aerobic exercise in bringing down fasting blood sugar and insulin resistance markers, which could be meaningful for people looking for accessible, medication-free ways to manage prediabetes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that among adults in Kenya who had prediabetes — a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetes range — nearly all of them (96%) also had at least one other health concern, such as high blood pressure or excess weight, and this was even true for some people at a normal body weight. The findings suggest that prediabetes rarely shows up alone, meaning people with this condition may face a combination of health risks that could lead to serious heart problems or type 2 diabetes down the road. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
A study found that middle-aged adults with prediabetes who ate almonds daily for about six months showed meaningful improvements in executive function — the brain's ability to plan and make decisions — as well as faster mental processing speed, compared to a group who didn't eat almonds. Researchers think this may be connected to almonds' ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress (a kind of internal cell damage) that can quietly affect the brain when blood sugar is creeping toward diabetes levels. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.