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Type 2 diabetes remission: can men reverse it by losing weight?

Published 30 October 2026 · Matt O'Brien

Three different men walking and laughing together on a canal towpath on an autumn morning: a slim South Asian man in his fifties with grey hair, glasses and a burgundy padded jacket, a heavy-built bald white man in his sixties in a beige jacket and checked shirt, and a tall young Black man with tied-back locs in a charcoal hoodie

Short answer: sometimes, yes. The NHS says lifestyle changes can sometimes lower your blood glucose (sugar) to a normal level and stop diabetes, which is called remission. Losing weight is one of the changes the NHS suggests, but nobody can promise remission for you. The safest route starts with your GP or diabetes team, not a crash diet.

This applies to men of any age who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

What does type 2 diabetes remission mean?

The NHS page on type 2 diabetes treatment says lifestyle changes can help lower your blood glucose and may help you avoid medicine. Sometimes they bring it down to a normal level and stop diabetes. That is remission.

Note the word sometimes. Remission is a possible outcome, not a guarantee, and something to work towards with your care team.

Start with the NHS route

Diabetes remission on the NHS has a named route. The NICE guideline on type 2 diabetes in adults says that for low-energy and very-low-energy diets in type 2 diabetes, clinicians should follow the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme and NICE's overweight and obesity guideline.

So ask at your next appointment: "Am I eligible for the Path to Remission Programme, and if not, what else is available here?"

The NHS treatment page also says:

Our NHS weight management guide explains referrals.

What NICE says about low-calorie diets

The NICE guideline on overweight and obesity management describes low-energy diets as 800 to 1,200 kilocalories a day. It says they should only be considered within a wider plan with long-term support, for people living with obesity, or with overweight and type 2 diabetes. They should:

NICE also says people should be told weight regain is likely, and if it happens it is not because they have "failed". Medicines should be reviewed before starting.

Don't go it alone

The NHS is clear: do not change to a very strict, low-calorie diet without talking to a health professional first, as it may not be suitable if you take diabetes medicine. The NHS page on low blood sugar explains that diabetes medicines can sometimes make blood sugar go too low. Do not stop or change any medicine unless your doctor or care team tells you to.

Everyday weight loss still counts

The NHS page on overweight and obesity says losing just 5 to 10% of your body weight can improve your health, and suggests aiming to lose 0.5 to 1kg a week. The NHS treatment page suggests at least 2.5 hours a week of walking or other activity that leaves you out of breath.

NICE adds that improving your diet is worthwhile even without weight loss, because there can be other health benefits. Our healthy weight tool gives a reference range for your height, and our male obesity hub covers the bigger picture. If you have been told you have prediabetes rather than diabetes, start there instead.

When to get help

From Matt

"If that is you, your previous attempts are not a list of failures. They are a set of clues. What fitted your life? What became difficult to sustain?... You are allowed to use what you learned without repeating what hurt."

I wrote that in my book for men who have tried diets, apps or gym memberships before. If remission is your goal, take those clues to your GP.

Source: Shift Some Timber book draft, Matt O'Brien. Matt is not a clinician; this page is general information, not medical advice.

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