Khaberni - There is a long-held belief in diabetes prevention that weight loss is the primary way to reduce the risk of developing the disease, but a new international study challenges this belief.
For decades, those diagnosed with prediabetes have been receiving the same advice from their doctors: eat healthy and lose weight to avoid diabetes.
Despite medical recommendations remaining the same for over 20 years, diabetes continues to rise globally. Most of those diagnosed with prediabetes find it difficult to achieve weight loss goals.
Belly Fat
According to "Medical Express", the research reveals a completely different approach, focusing on returning blood sugar levels to normal even with stable overall weight, by redistributing body fat away from the belly area.
The research team included researchers from the universities of Tübingen and Düsseldorf and the Technical University of Dresden in Germany, alongside researchers from the University of Copenhagen Hospital, and the National Institute of Diabetes in Arizona.
According to the study, about 1 in 4 people in lifestyle intervention programs restore their blood sugar levels to normal without losing any weight.
Remarkably, this stable weight condition protects against future diabetes as effectively as the condition achieved through weight loss.
This represents a significant shift in how doctors deal with overweight or obese patients at risk of diabetes. But how can blood sugar levels be reduced without losing weight, or even with weight gain?
Visceral Fat
The answer lies in how fat is distributed throughout the body.
Visceral fats found deep in the belly, surrounding the internal organs, cause metabolic disorders because these fats cause chronic inflammation that interferes with insulin—the hormone responsible for controlling blood sugar levels.
When insulin does not function properly, blood sugar levels rise.
In contrast, subcutaneous fat—the fat located directly under the skin—can be beneficial. This type of fat tissue produces hormones that help insulin work more effectively.
The study showed that those who reverse prediabetes without losing weight, transfer fat from deep in the belly to beneath the skin, even if their total weight remains stable.
Hormonal Weight Loss Medications
The researchers also discovered another part of the puzzle. It appears that the natural hormones mimicked by new weight loss drugs such as Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Ozempic play a crucial role in this process.
These hormones, especially GLP-1, help pancreatic cells secrete insulin when blood sugar levels are high.
It turns out that those who overcome prediabetes without losing weight naturally boost this hormonal system, while suppressing other hormones that typically raise glucose levels.
Fish Oil
The research showed that polyunsaturated fatty acids, abundantly available in Mediterranean diets rich in fish oil, olive oil, and nuts, may help reduce visceral belly fat.
Similarly, endurance training can also reduce belly fats without overall weight loss.
However, this does not mean abandoning weight loss as a goal, as it remains beneficial for overall health and diabetes prevention.
