Volume 30, Issue 173, July 2026

Opportunities and mechanisms for achieving type 2 diabetes remission through nutritional interventions

Katarzyna Bielak^1♦, Natalia Kursa², Adam Brożyna³, Agnieszka Mackiewicz⁴, Aleksandra Pietrucień⁴, Krystian Woźniak², Julia Witkowska², Ksenia Jakubiak², Mikołaj Kurczyński², Monika Krasoń²

¹5 Military Clinical Hospital in Cracow, 30-901 Cracow, ul. Wrocławska 1-3, PL
²Central Teaching Hospital of The Medical University of Lodz: Łódź, 92-213, ul. Pomorska 251, PL
³University Clinical Hospital No. 1 of the Medical University of Lodz: Łódź, 90-153, ul. Kopcińskiego 22, PL
⁴Medical Centre of Pabianice, Pabianice, 95-200, ul. Jana Pawła II 68, PL

^♦Corresponding author
Katarzyna Bielak, 5 Military Clinical Hospital in Cracow, 30-901 Cracow, ul. Wrocławska 1-3, PL

ABSTRACT

Background: The number of people with type 2 diabetes continues to grow, as this complex metabolic disease has many layers to its development. While there are numerous pharmacological and nutritional interventions, it remains difficult to develop consistent clinical recommendations for dietary interventions due to the large number of dietary models. Objective: This paper aims to analyze selected nutritional models used in the management of type 2 diabetes and evaluate their impact on pathophysiological mechanisms and their potential to achieve disease remission. Methods: This is a narrative review that includes the current published literature and the major clinical trials assessing the efficacy of three main types of dietary interventions. Results: The reviewed dietary interventions show considerable promise for achieving remission of type 2 diabetes through different mechanisms. Very-low-calorie diets achieve high remission rates that are closely associated with the amount of weight loss. The Mediterranean diet has also been demonstrated to provide prolonged remission of diabetes by decreasing systemic inflammation. The ketogenic diet has produced near-immediate improvements in glucose levels and marked reductions in the need for diabetes medications. Conclusions: An essential aspect of a holistic treatment approach is nutritional interventions, which can help regulate the onset of type 2 diabetes. Individualized patient treatment will provide the greatest clinical benefit and ensure optimal longterm effectiveness. Clinicians should provide nutritional interventions based on patient preference and the length of time since diagnosis.

Keywords: type 2 diabetes; type 2 diabetes remission; very-low-calorie diet; Mediterranean diet; ketogenic diet

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e128ms3897

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Published: 21 July 2026