Adopting a “weight-centric” approach to managing type 2 diabetes with a greater emphasis on double-digit weight loss will ensure more patients achieve remission, international researchers say.

The proposed strategy, presented at the virtual European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting 2021, would also improve disease-related complications and substantially improve patient quality of life.

They argue that tackling the disease “upstream” to address the “key pathophysiological driver” of T2DM might be more fruitful than treating the “downstream” metabolic consequences.

The four endocrinologists – including Dr Priya Sumithran from the University of Melbourne – say this new therapeutic framework is supported by the literature.