Oct 08, 2025
New key in prediabetes: Blood sugar levels more important than body weight
According to the study, exercise and a balanced diet have a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels, regardless of whether weight is reduced. © PantherMedia / paulgrecaud
An analysis published on September 29 in the journal Nature Medicine of a comprehensive long-term study conducted by the University Hospital Tübingen shows that normalizing elevated blood glucose levels can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes — independent of weight loss. Individuals with prediabetes whose blood sugar levels returned to the normal range through lifestyle changes had up to a 71% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes within nine years. This was true even if their body weight remained unchanged or even increased.
“The restoration of normal fasting blood glucose levels is the most important goal in preventing type 2 diabetes — not necessarily the number on the scale,” emphasizes Prof. Birkenfeld, corresponding author and director of the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM), Helmholtz Munich at the University Hospital Tübingen, and transCampus professor.
The publication was produced within the framework of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) network and the transCampus network, which includes both Prof. Birkenfeld as a transCampus professor and Prof. Stefan Bornstein, Dean of transCampus at TU Dresden. Other participating researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden include Prof. Nikolaos Perakakis, Prof. Michele Solimena, and Prof. Peter Schwarz.
The study’s findings suggest that, in addition to focusing on weight reduction, it is crucial to incorporate glycemic targets — i.e., blood sugar reference values — into clinical practice guidelines.
Full paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03944-9