14 Feb 2023 • Previously it was believed that people with Type 1 diabetes are often thin to normal weight and often lose weight prior to diagnosis. According to new statistics from a nationwide survey, about two thirds of people with type 1 diabetes in the United States have overweight or obesity. Additionally, among individuals with overweight or obesity, those with type 1 diabetes are less likely to hear lifestyle recommendations from medical professionals than those with type 2 diabetes, and are also less likely to actually participate in lifestyle weight-management activities. For those with type 1 diabetes who require insulin, managing weight can be challenging because dietary and exercise changes often necessitate adjusting insulin timing and dosage to prevent hypoglycemia. Little research has been done to support this for weight management. Out of the total study's participants, the proportion of overweight or obese people who said they had received lifestyle advice was highest among type 2 diabetics and lowest among non-diabetics, with type 1 diabetes patients in the middle. The Annals of Internal Medicine published these data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) on February 13. Hence, according to Michael Fang, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, "the lack of evidence for safe, effective approaches of diet- and exercise-based weight control in persons with type 1 diabetes may be stopping doctors from suggesting such treatments."

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