Normalizing BMI Linked to Lower Risk for Progression to Stage 3 Type 1 Diabetes

MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Normalizing body mass index (BMI) is associated with a reduced risk for progression to stage 3 type 1 diabetes (T1D), with the association mainly observed in youth, according to a study published online July 16 in Diabetes Care.Maria J. Redondo, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and colleagues examined whether BMI normalization is associated with a lower risk for progression to stage 3 T1D among 833 autoantibody-positive individuals with overweight or obesity in the TrialNet Pathway to Prevention study.The researchers found that BMI normalized in 26.8 percent of participants during follow-up; normalization was associated with a reduced risk for progression to stage 3 T1D (hazard ratio, 0.516) during a median of 4.1 years. This association was mainly seen in 421 youth (hazard ratio, 0.497), including boys younger than 12 years and girls 12 years and older, but it was not observed in 412 adults. The risk for transition from stage 1 to stage 2 and from stage 2 to stage 3 was lower in association with BMI normalization, but no clear reduction in risk was seen for the transition from stage 0 to stage 1. The association between BMI normalization and lower progression risk was weakened after adjustment for insulin sensitivity/resistance indices or oral disposition index; the association was generally strengthened with adjustment for insulin secretion, glycemia-adjusted C-peptide, or progression-risk indices."Our study shows an association, not causation," Redondo said in a statement. "The findings provide a strong rationale for a prospective intervention trial to determine whether intentionally promoting a healthy BMI trajectory can alter progression of T1D."Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Normalizing BMI Linked to Lower Risk for Progression to Stage 3 Type 1 Diabetes

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