Study shows Type 2 diabetics respond well to timely weight loss

A study published online Tuesday in the journal Diabetes Care indicates that people recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes can retain better control of their blood pressure and sugar by losing weight soon after diagnosis.

The study looked at 2,574 patients aged 21 through 75 with recent diabetes diagnoses over a five-year period starting in 1997. The 12 percent of patients classed in the “weight loss” group—those who had lost an average of more than 25 pounds—were more likely to have control over their blood pressure and sugar.

Type 2 diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans.