Health ConditionsDiabetesType 2 Diabetes

What Your Doctor Is Reading: Type 2 Diabetes Research

Recent research reveals how weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity, how early onset diabetes may increase the risk of other conditions, and more.
What Your Doctor Is Reading: Type 2 Diabetes Research
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Published on June 17, 2025
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Whether you’ve been managing type 2 diabetes for months or years, one thing is probably true: You want the most up-to-date information on how to manage the condition.

One of the best ways to do that is by keeping tabs on the latest studies published in science and medical journals. But digging through dense research can be time consuming and challenging, especially if you don’t have a background in medicine or science.

Check out the latest studies and content your doctor may be reading, as covered on Everyday Health’s website for healthcare professionals, MedPage Today. This way, you can talk to your doctor about the latest developments and make informed decisions about your care.

New Insight Into How Weight Loss May Improve Insulin Sensitivity

It’s a fact that weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity — how well your cells respond to insulin — and, ultimately, regulate blood sugar. What physicians didn’t know, until recently, was how this improvement occurs. A new study sheds light on what happens in the body to make it possible. Weight loss can lead to a notable decrease in diacylglycerols and ceramides, molecules in muscles linked to metabolic processes that contribute to insulin resistance.

Why This Matters

Weight loss and weight management are key to fighting insulin resistance and managing type 2 diabetes. In the future, there may be medications targeting ceramide metabolism that could help improve insulin sensitivity.

Read more on MedPage Today.

Why This Matters

Mental Health Management May Reduce Fall Risk in People With Type 2 Diabetes

Research has shown that diabetes is associated with fall risk, due to age; taking multiple diabetes medications; using insulin; having hypoglycemia (low blood sugar); and having peripheral neuropathy (damage of the peripheral nervous system). Older adults who have type 2 diabetes are even more prone to falls. And this may especially be the case for those who also have depression, according to a study from Taiwan that looked at specific factors that contribute to this increased fall risk.

Researchers collected and analyzed information on the participants’ medical histories, including frequency of falls and diagnoses of other medical conditions. They also assessed clinical factors for falls, such as BMI, and independent risk factors, including frailty and grip strength.

The researchers found that the severity of depression was the only variable that significantly affected fall risk. The risk of falling increased by about 12 percent for each one-point increase on a depression rating scale. Prior research established that depression can increase fall risk due to its impact on executive function, processing speed, and attention, but this study paints a clearer picture of the complex factors that lead to increased risk in people with type 2 diabetes. It also underscores that mental well-being may affect physical stability.

Why This Matters

Participating in mental health screenings and other tests ordered by your doctor may help you not only care for your emotional health but also manage the risk of injury from falls.

Read more on MedPage Today.

Why This Matters

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Is Less Accessible for Certain Demographics

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) offers unmatched benefits to people with diabetes, from the opportunity to track blood sugar levels 24/7 to the ability to easily share data with doctors and even loved ones. Despite CGM becoming the gold standard in diabetes management, many people do not have access to the technology. Research confirms the extent of this limitation for people with diabetes who receive healthcare through federally qualified health centers (FQHC).

Researchers at Northwestern University analyzed data from more than 36,000 people with diabetes — about 35,200 with type 2 diabetes — who received care at 275 FQHCs across 19 states from 2014 to 2021. During the study period, just 1 percent of people with type 2 diabetes were given a CGM prescription. Black Americans were 24 percent less likely to receive a CGM prescription, and that number ballooned to 57 percent for Latinos. Lack of insurance coverage was found to be a large barrier to receiving a CGM prescription.

Why This Matters

Disparities in diabetes care persist, with medically underserved populations having limited access to technology that can potentially improve their quality of life and health outcomes. Doctors and people living with type 2 diabetes need to be aware of these disparities, so they can advocate for proper, equitable care.

Read more on MedPage Today.

Why This Matters

Prescription at Hospitalization Discharge May Make Filling It More Likely

People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital after having heart complications known as acute coronary syndrome (ACS). While taking medications such as beta-blockers and statins can help prevent further complications, one study found that many people with type 2 diabetes never end up filling these prescriptions.

 This was especially true for people who didn’t already have a script in hand when they were discharged from the hospital.

Why This Matters

Getting a prescription filled when being discharged by a hospital is strongly associated with longer-term medication use. If you develop ACS and need to take medication, talk to your provider about getting your prescription filled when you’re discharged.

Read more on MedPage Today.

Why This Matters

Early Onset Diabetes May Increase Probability of Other Conditions

The younger someone is when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the greater the risk of developing other health conditions, a study has found.

 Researchers at the Diabetes Research Centre at the University of Leicester in England examined demographics and risk factors — BMI, ethnicity, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and more — from hundreds of thousands of people ages 16 to 50, all of whom had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 2000 and 2020. They found that regardless of the person’s ethnicity, sex, and socioeconomic status, the younger they were when diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the higher their risk of hypertension, obesity, and other conditions.

Why This Matters

If you’re diagnosed with early onset diabetes, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight are key to minimizing the risk of additional conditions.

Read more on MedPage Today.

Why This Matters

One Month of Antiplatelet Therapy Just as Effective as 3 Months

People with diabetes who have cardiovascular disease may undergo a nonsurgical, minimally invasive procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which opens a narrowing or blockage of the coronary artery.

 PCI is often coupled with antiplatelet therapy to prevent adverse cardiac events in people with diabetes who have a high bleeding risk. Now, a study found that taking antiplatelet medication for one month was just as effective at preventing heart problems as taking the drug for three months or longer.

 Moreover, taking a shorter course of antiplatelets (versus the standard length) may lower the risk of bleeding complications.

Why This Matters

A shorter course of antiplatelet therapy may be a good treatment option if you have type 2 diabetes and a high bleeding risk and are undergoing PCI. But more research is needed.

Read more on MedPage Today.

Why This Matters

Learn More About MedPage Today

How does MedPage Today select studies to cover?
The MedPage Today editorial team aims to provide information on the latest research that directly affects the lives and practices of healthcare professionals and, in turn, the people they serve. Editors select studies that are published in reputable, peer-reviewed journals and fall into one of our 30+ specialty areas.
Reporters and editors for MedPage Today are experienced healthcare journalists who are meticulous about fact-checking and disclosures. On top of expert in-house staff, MedPage Today works with highly experienced freelance journalists. The editorial staff does not cover research that is produced or sponsored by the drugmaker. Advertisers on MedPage Today have no influence over what articles are written, how they are written, or what they say.
MedPage Today aims to report on studies published within the past six to nine months. Editors pay special attention to research that may have a direct impact on patients’ lives and prioritize reporting on such studies.  
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Petersen MC et al. Effect of Weight Loss on Skeletal Muscle Bioactive Lipids in People With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes. December 2024.
  2. Lin CL et al. Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study. Medicine. December 13, 2024.
  3. Wallia A et al. Disparities in Continuous Glucose Monitoring Among Patients Receiving Care in Federally Qualified Health Centers. JAMA Network Open. November 22, 2024.
  4. Kelsey MD et al. Prescription Fills Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes After Hospitalization for Acute Coronary Syndrome. JAMA Network Open. November 27, 2024.
  5. Goldney J et al. Burden of Vascular Risk Factors by Age, Sex, Ethnicity and Deprivation in Young Adults With and Without Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. February 2025.
  6. Ahmad M et al. Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. StatPearls. June 5, 2023.
  7. Roffi M et al. Abbreviated or Standard Antiplatelet Therapy After PCI in Diabetic Patients at High Bleeding Risk. JACC Cardiovascular Interventions. November 25, 2024.
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Anna L. Goldman, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Anna L. Goldman, MD, is a board-certified endocrinologist. She teaches first year medical students at Harvard Medical School and practices general endocrinology in Boston.

Dr. Goldman attended college at Wesleyan University and then completed her residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where she was also a chief resident. She moved to Boston to do her fellowship in endocrinology at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She joined the faculty after graduation and served as the associate program director for the fellowship program for a number of years.

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Jessica Hicks

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Jessica Hicks is a writer, editor, and published research author with a background that spans traditional journalism, health tech, and the nonprofit sector. She has experience producing multimedia content for a range of behavioral change, mental health, and lifestyle products and platforms.

As Senior Editor for The Well, Everyday Health’s Content Studio and; Innovation Lab, Jessica spends her day to day creating and managing high-quality, science-backed content that helps individuals live their happiest, healthiest lives.

Jessica studied journalism, sociology, and anthropology at Lehigh University. In her free time, you’ll find her figure skating, crocheting, and organizing meetings for her local book club.

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