Diabetes Research

Research Shows Benefits of Tirzepatide for Type 1 Diabetes and Obesity

Though life-changing medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) are only approved right now for type 2 diabetes, a growing body of evidence shows the potential benefits for people living with type 1 diabetes as well. Promising results from a new study on tirzepatide for people with type 1 diabetes were presented recently at the ATTD 2025 conference in Amsterdam. During the study, 84 adults with type 1 diabetes and overweight or obesity were given tirzepatide off-label. After 21 months, participants experienced 23% weight loss and sustained improvements in glucose management.

Risk of New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Among Vaccinated Adults After Omicron or Delta Variant SARS-CoV-2 Infection

New-onset diabetes after SARS-CoV-2 infection has been documented.1-4 Milder Omicron variant infection and booster vaccination may mitigate risk, but most available studies predate Omicron emergence and booster rollout.1-3 We estimated risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) after SARS-CoV-2 infection among boosted adults during Delta- and Omicron-predominant transmission in Singapore.

Adolescent obesity in England rises by 50% over 15 years

New research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that the proportion of adolescents living with overweight or obesity in England has increased by 50% from 2008-2010 (22%) to 2021-2023 (33%). The research, presented in two studies, is by Dr Dinesh Giri, Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK, and Dr Senthil Senniappan, Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, UK, and colleagues.

Study Finds Intense Exercise May Suppress Appetite in Healthy Humans

A vigorous workout does more to suppress hunger levels in healthy adults than does moderate exercise, and females may be especially susceptible to this response, according to a small study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. The study examines the effects of exercise intensity on ghrelin levels and appetite between men and women. Ghrelin is known as the “hunger hormone” and is associated with perceptions of hunger. “We found that high intensity exercise suppressed ghrelin levels more than moderate intensity exercise,” said lead author Kara Anderson, PhD, of the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Va. “In addition, we found that individuals felt ‘less hungry’ after high intensity exercise compared to moderate intensity exercise.”

Can diabetes be passed down in the genes?

Diabetes is a complex condition with several types and no clear cause. If there is a history of a type of diabetes in a person’s family, they may have a higher risk of developing the same condition, but this does not mean they will inherit it. Genetic factors can make some people more vulnerable to some types of diabetes. However, a person may not inherit the condition, and there may be ways to reduce the risk. Knowing how type 2 diabetes affects family members, for example, can encourage a person to take steps to prevent it. Also, an awareness of family history may help with getting an early diagnosis. This, in turn, may help a person prevent some complications.

Milk Consumption Is Linked to Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes, which typically strikes children and young adults, is an autoimmune disease in which our own immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of our pancreas. Untreated it’s deadly, but even with well-managed insulin replacement, it may shorten life expectancy by a decade. “Families are devastated when a child receives a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes…Thus, one of modern medicine’s ‘holy grails’” is to understand what causes the body to attack itself, in the hopes that we can cure or prevent the disease. Genetic susceptibility plays an important role, but the “concordance for type 1 diabetes is only about 50% among identical twins.” So, even if someone with our exact same DNA gets the disease, there’s only about a 50 percent chance we will get it, too—meaning there must be external factors as well.

Use of Artificial Intelligence–Based Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy in the US

Vision loss from diabetic retinopathy (DR) is largely preventable, but less than two-thirds of patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes undergo an annual eye examination.1 FDA-approved systems like LumineticsCore (formerly IDx-DR, Digital Diagnostics) and EyeArt (Eyenuk) analyze retinal fundus images for more than mild DR with fairly high sensitivity (87.2% and 96.0%, respectively) and specificity (90.7% and 88.0%, respectively).2,3 Use of these systems helps increase detection in the primary care setting among patients with diabetes, while optimizing ophthalmic examinations for those with vision-threatening DR. We tracked usage of Current Procedural Terminology code 92229, the artificial intelligence (AI)–based screening reimbursement code instituted in January 2021, to evaluate national trends of AI-based DR detection.

National Diabetes Statistics Report 2023

European Statistics 2023

Global Diabetes Statistics 2022/2023

Fast Facts 2023

CDC: Diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in the United States, all ages

Diabetes Report Card 2023

Gestational Diabetes 2023

Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. 2023

Diabetes in Canada 2023

Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults: United States, 2023

Prevalence of Diabetes among Men and Women in China 2023

Diabetes in Africa 2023

Diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean 2023

A PROGRAM FOR THE CURE OF TYPE 1 DIABETES USING A GENERIC DRUG: PHASE II

Dr. Faustman’s research centers on the benefits of BCG vaccine even for those with established type 1 diabetes. These discoveries now allow people beyond new onset diabetes to benefit from this innovative therapy. The BCG vaccine is a 125-year-old generic drug originally identified for prevention of tuberculosis, but now clinical trials show the benefits extend to those with type 1 diabetes, autoimmune multiple sclerosis, and in the broad prevention of infections.

THE IMPACT OF MARIJUANA USE ON GLUCOSE, INSULIN, AND INSULIN RESISTANCE AMONG US ADULTS

There are limited data regarding the relationship between cannabinoids and metabolic processes. Epidemiologic studies have found lower prevalence rates of obesity and diabetes mellitus in marijuana users compared with people who have never used marijuana, suggesting a relationship between cannabinoids and peripheral metabolic processes. To date, no study has investigated the relationship between marijuana use and fasting insulin, glucose, and insulin resistance.