Medical Bulletin 31/August/2026

Here are the top medical news for today:

Type 1 Diabetes Cases Could Increase 29% Globally by 2049, Study Estimates

A new global analysis projects a substantial rise in the burden of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) over the next two decades, with the number of people living with the condition expected to increase by 29% worldwide, from 9.4 million in 2025 to 12.1 million by 2049.

The findings, which will be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Milan, estimate that new T1D cases each year will also rise by 14%, from 530,024 in 2025 to 605,058 by 2049.

Researchers led by Steno Diabetes Center Odense, Denmark, developed the projections using the DIAMOND-T1D model. The model considers historical T1D incidence, population age structures, survival patterns and the introduction of insulin across different countries.

Although high- and middle-income countries currently account for most people living with T1D, the fastest relative growth in prevalence is expected in low-income countries. Researchers say this could be driven partly by improved access to insulin, glucose monitoring and healthcare, allowing more people with T1D to survive longer.

The model estimates that annual deaths among people living with T1D worldwide could increase from 361,383 in 2025 to 537,621 by 2049.

Children and adolescents will continue to represent a significant proportion of new cases. In 2025, people aged 0–19 are estimated to account for 42% of new T1D cases globally, rising to 49% in low-income countries.

The researchers emphasize that reliable T1D data remain limited, particularly across low- and middle-income countries. Better epidemiological information is therefore essential for planning healthcare services and ensuring access to life-saving treatment.

The projections highlight the growing global need for affordable insulin, glucose monitoring, early diagnosis and quality diabetes care. Researchers say improving access, particularly in resource-limited settings, will be critical as the worldwide T1D population continues to expand.

REFERENCE: Estimates predict 2.7 million extra people living with type 1 diabetes globally by 2049, a 29% increase compared with 2025; European Association for the Study of Diabetes

Ketogenic Diet Linked to Improvements in Prediabetes and Fatty Liver Disease: Study

A randomized clinical trial suggests that weight loss can improve metabolic health regardless of diet, but a ketogenic diet may offer additional benefits for blood sugar control and liver health in people with obesity, prediabetes and fatty liver disease.

Published in Cell Metabolism on August 27, the study from Washington University School of Medicine compared three diets: a very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, a high-carbohydrate, low-fat plant-forward diet, and a Mediterranean diet.

The trial included 55 adults with metabolically unhealthy obesity, characterized by obesity, elevated blood sugar and excess liver fat. Participants received all their meals for about five months and met weekly with dietitians.

Participants in all three groups lost approximately 10% of their starting body weight. Muscle insulin sensitivity also improved by about 50%, suggesting that the weight loss itself was largely responsible for improving insulin resistance, regardless of the diet's carbohydrate and fat composition.

However, important differences emerged in liver health and blood sugar control.

Liver insulin sensitivity improved two to three times more with the ketogenic diet than with the other diets. Liver fat also fell by 67% with the ketogenic approach, compared with 45% in the Mediterranean and high-carbohydrate groups.

The ketogenic diet also reduced 24-hour blood glucose by 20%, compared with 8% with the other diets. Blood insulin levels decreased by 74% on the ketogenic diet, versus 44% with the Mediterranean diet and 27% with the high-carbohydrate diet.

Prediabetes was reversed in 50% of participants following the ketogenic diet, compared with 29% on the Mediterranean diet and 7% on the high-carbohydrate diet.

Researchers emphasize that any meaningful weight loss is beneficial for people with metabolic disease. However, the findings suggest that diet composition may provide additional benefits beyond weight loss, particularly for people with fatty liver and impaired blood sugar control.

REFERENCE: Petersen, M. C., et al. (2026) Effect of diet macronutrient content on the cardiometabolic response to weight loss: A randomized clinical trial. Cell Metabolism. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2026.07.020.

Study Finds Tomato Compound Phytoene May Help Protect Against Fatty Liver

A lesser-known compound found in tomatoes may help protect against fatty liver disease, according to new research from Tufts University. The study suggests that phytoene, a colorless precursor of lycopene, could have liver-protective effects beyond those associated with the tomato’s better-known antioxidant.

Published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Science, the study found that mice given phytoene developed substantially less severe fatty liver disease than mice fed the same unhealthy diet without the compound.

Fatty liver disease, now commonly referred to as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), affects up to 38% of U.S. adults. It occurs when excess fat accumulates in liver cells and can eventually lead to inflammation, liver damage and cirrhosis.

Researchers fed mice a high-refined-carbohydrate diet for six months to mimic dietary patterns associated with fatty liver disease. Some mice also received phytoene supplementation equivalent to consuming approximately three to four medium-sized raw tomatoes or 100 grams of tomato paste daily.

The phytoene-treated mice developed significantly less liver fat. Researchers found that the compound appeared to activate proteins involved in liver metabolism, helping the organ burn excess fat for energy rather than allowing it to accumulate.

Interestingly, the researchers found that mice unable to properly metabolize phytoene did not receive the same protective effect, suggesting that metabolites produced when the body breaks down phytoene may be responsible for the benefits.

The study also identified potential sex-related differences, with female mice accumulating more phytoene in the liver than males.

Phytoene is also found in carrots, red peppers, pink grapefruit, watermelon and apricots. However, researchers stress that these findings come from animal experiments and do not yet prove that phytoene prevents or treats fatty liver disease in humans.

Further research is needed to determine whether the findings translate to people and whether genetic differences in phytoene metabolism influence its potential benefits.

REFERENCE: Lee, N. Y., et al. (2026). Phytoene, a Precursor of Lycopene in Tomatoes, Protects Against Metabolic Dysfunction‐Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Mice. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70596