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The need to reduce the prevalence of diabetes is urgent

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) impacts around 11.6% of adults in the United States, with an increasing occurrence among younger age groups and roughly 23% of those with diabetes go undiagnosed.

The overall expense of diabetes annually is approximated at $412.9 billion ($306 billion in direct expenses and $106.3 billion in reduced productivity). From both a public health and healthcare expenditure viewpoint, it is a crucial urgency to diminish the prevalence of T2D. Achieving remission, should be a primary goal.

Lifestyle medicine is a solution

Clinical Approach

Intensive therapeutic lifestyle change

Research indicates that sufficiently intensive lifestyle intervention, particularly adopting a predominantly whole-food, plant-based dietary pattern, exercise, and sleep, may be comparable to bariatric surgery, a commonly recognized means of effectively achieving T2D remission, but without the potential for side effects.

Furthermore, studies have shown that the approach advocated by lifestyle medicine physicians can often reduce or eliminate the need for prescription medications, including insulin.

Redefining standards of care for type 2 diabetes

Lifestyle medicine is redefining what’s possible in the treatment and remission of type 2 diabetes. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) offers the tools and training clinicians and institutions need to remain at the forefront and deliver value-based, patient-centered care.

Groundbreaking clinical guidance

ACLM’s new clinical practice guideline, published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, is the first to center therapeutic lifestyle change as a primary strategy to treat and put into remission type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. It offers a detailed, evidence-based roadmap with tools for behavior assessment, coaching, and deprescribing protocols that empower clinicians and patients alike to achieve better outcomes.

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Innovative care models

Lifestyle medicine shared medical appointments (LMSMAs) elevate therapeutic lifestyle change as the foundation of care. This model enhances clinical efficiency, saves costs and supports care team collaboration, making it ideal for scalable implementation that achieves improved patient outcomes.

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Interprofessional education

Accredited CME/CE courses in lifestyle medicine and food as medicine equip clinicians and care teams with resources that fill the longstanding gap in lifestyle and behavior change support. Deliver scalable, guideline-aligned, patient-centered care.

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Ethically aligned treatment

ACLM’s Type 2 Diabetes Bill of Rights ensures patients receive fully informed consent at diagnosis, supporting transparency in care decisions and reinforcing the right to access lifestyle-focused, remission-based treatment options.

Bill of Rights

Remission of Type 2 Diabetes

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is leading groundbreaking research that demonstrates the power of lifestyle interventions to treat type 2 diabetes and reverse insulin resistance. By focusing on intensive, evidence-based approaches, ACLM’s studies show that many individuals can significantly reduce or eliminate their need for diabetic medications. This research not only supports lifestyle medicine as a frontline therapy but also challenges the conventional narrative that Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong, progressive condition. ACLM continues to build the evidence base to inform clinical guidelines and empower healthcare professionals to deliver high-impact, root-cause care.

The first-ever clinical guideline published by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine offers a comprehensive and evidence-based roadmap for clinicians to effectively incorporate therapeutic lifestyle behavior interventions as a mainstay of type 2 diabetes treatment. 

Read the Publication (CME/CE)

Expert consensus was achieved for 69 statements pertaining to diet and remission of T2D, dietary specifics and types of diets, adjuvant and alternative interventions, support, monitoring, adherence to therapy, weight loss, and payment and policy. Clinicians can use these statements to improve quality of care, inform policy and protocols, and identify areas of uncertainty.

Explore the Series

This case series published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, demonstrates that achieving type 2 diabetes remission is possible through a healthy diet without severe calorie restriction or liquid meal replacements. In the study, 59 patients with type 2 diabetes enrolled in a cardiac wellness program and experienced significant improvements in blood glucose control, and some even achieved full remission, by following a low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet. This highlights the significance of offering all patients the chance to make lifestyle changes as part of their routine care for treating type 2 diabetes.

Explore the Series

A Qualitative Case Series of Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner Protocols
Published in Clinical Diabetes, this study provides protocols for medication deprescribing in type 2 diabetes patients following successful lifestyle medicine interventions. The study addresses the need for safe and effective deprescribing guidelines, as intensive lifestyle changes can lead to decreased blood sugar levels, potentially causing hypoglycemia if medication adjustments are not made. These protocols will be valuable resources for clinicians to reduce the reliance on prescription medications and support patients in achieving remission through evidence-based lifestyle medicine practices.

Explore the Series

A meta-epidemiological study from ACLM (published in Advances in Nutrition) synthesizes recommendations from 78 clinical practice guidelines for major chronic conditions and general health promotion.

“…These findings support both ACLM’s dietary position statement and its recent expert consensus statement that the most effective dietary intervention for achieving T2D remission is whole, plant-based foods with minimal consumption of meat and other animal products…”

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Online education

For over two decades, ACLM has been at the forefront of developing clinician training and certification addressing how to treat and reverse type 2 diabetes with lifestyle interventions.

Lifestyle Interventions for Treatment and Remission of T2D and Prediabetes in Adults: Clinical Practice Guideline

3.75 HR CME/CE/MOC

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Food as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes Remission

3 HR CME/CE/MOC

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Remission of Type 2 Diabetes with Diet Intervention: A Case Series

1 HR CME/CE/MOC

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Remission of Type 2 Diabetes & Reversal of Insulin Resistance

18 HR CME/CE/MOC

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Lifestyle Interventions for Treatment and Remission of Type 2 Diabetes

ACLM’s first-of-its-kind clinical practice guideline puts lifestyle intervention at the forefront of diabetes care.

With more than half of U.S. adults affected by diabetes or prediabetes, this urgently needed guideline delivers clear, practical recommendations—including health behavior assessments, coaching strategies, and medication de-prescribing protocols—to empower clinicians and patients alike in achieving better outcomes through lifestyle medicine.

Available now: Earn 3.75 credit hours of CME/CE/MOC with the AJLM Article & Quiz!

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Lifestyle Empowerment Approach for Diabetes Remission

LEADR is a flexible, evidence-informed program that helps patients take control of their health through sustainable lifestyle changes—benefiting both individuals and families. Participants learn to eat for diabetes remission without calorie counting, achieve a healthy weight without hunger, and improve energy and quality of life.

For some, remission of type 2 diabetes may be possible. Designed for providers, LEADR is delivered through shared medical appointments (SMAs) aligned with CMS and insurance billing models.

The adaptable curriculum supports in-person, virtual, or hybrid delivery. Reimbursement-focused pilot testing is underway—practices interested in piloting LEADR can connect below.

Complete Survey to Access LEADR  Explore Resources

Master the science of diabetes remission

Online Course

Earn diabetes remission certificate

Expert faculty address the scientific literature, the application of lifestyle medicine methods, practice guidelines, and monitoring standards. Physicians and eligible health professionals who complete this course will receive a Type 2 Diabetes Remission Certificate signifying specialized knowledge and competency in using lifestyle medicine to support the treatment, remission, and prevention of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.

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