One Lifestyle Change Can Reverse Prediabetes: Study Finds - Video

A new study published in Cardiovascular Diabetology-Endocrinology Reports has found that engaging in over 150 minutes of physical activity per week can significantly increase the likelihood of reversing prediabetes to normoglycemia and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes, a precursor state of diabetes, is characterized by blood glucose levels higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range. The study aimed to identify factors linked with the reversion of prediabetes to normal blood sugar levels in adults enrolled in a cardiovascular risk program in Cali, Colombia, between 2019 and 2023.

Researchers analyzed medical records of 130 prediabetic adults who underwent multidisciplinary evaluations every three months. These included assessments by internal medicine specialists, nutritionists, psychologists, and physiotherapists. Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and participants received tailored dietary advice with weight loss targets for overweight individuals.

The study found that “performing physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week (as validated by the IPAQ) was found to increase the probability [of prediabetes reversion] by 4.15 times.” In contrast, high body mass index (BMI) and elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels significantly reduced the chances of reversing prediabetes. Participants with an HbA1c level over 6% or a BMI above 25 had 86% and 75% lower odds, respectively, of returning to normoglycemia.

“Excessive body weight gain and poor glycemic control are the two major factors that can significantly prevent the reversion of prediabetes to normoglycemia,” the study concluded. The glucose/triglyceride index also showed promise as a low-cost marker for insulin resistance, especially useful in low-resource settings.

Reference: Wilfredo Antonio Rivera-Martínez. 2025. Factors related to reversal of prediabetes in patients from a cardiovascular risk program during 2019 – 2023. Cardiovascular Diabetology – Endocrinology Reports. DOI: 10.1186/s40842-025-00224-w, https://clindiabetesendo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40842-025-00224-w