A meta-analysis[1] suggests that people with diabetes and who are overweight or obese will have to lose over 5% of bodyweight on average before seeing an effect on hemoglobin A1c and cardiovascular risk markers. The authors of this meta-analysis admit that this can be a tough goal to achieve for some people, and often requires a mix of caloric restriction, healthy eating, physical activity, and regular visits to the doctor.
How much weight do people with diabetes have to lose in order to see an impact?
Written by:
Fact-checked
by:
•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
People with diabetes who also have overweight or obesity need to lose more than 5% of their body weight to see improvements in HbA1c and cardiovascular risk markers. Achieving this weight loss can be challenging and typically involves a combination of caloric restriction, healthy eating, physical activity, and regular medical check-ups.