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Thousands of Australians could reverse type 2 diabetes through their phones, reveals landmark Australian study

Defeat Diabetes

• 78% improved their blood glucose levels.¹
• 42% brought HbA1c (the primary measure of blood glucose) below the diagnostic threshold for diabetes.¹
• Participants also reduced blood pressure, lost an average of 5kg, and reported significant improvements in well-being and confidence in managing their condition.¹
• Nearly 1 in 5 participants (18%) achieved remission of type 2 diabetes without glucose-lowering medication.¹
• 1 in 8 participants who were on diabetes medication at the start of the program discontinued all diabetes medication by the end of 12 months.¹

Sydney, Australia, 22 June 2026 – Australians living with type 2 diabetes could benefit from the latest results of a 12-month study, which found that a digital program focused on nutrition education and behaviour change could help reverse type 2 diabetes and improve how the condition is managed.

The first-of-its-kind Australian study published in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice by researchers at La Trobe University evaluated Defeat Diabetes, a digital program to support type 2 diabetes management through education and behavioural change, backed by nutrition therapy, over a 12-month period.

For Sladjana Cukanic, a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, and the prospect of managing a lifelong condition felt overwhelming. Looking for support to better understand her options, she enrolled in the digital program and discovered how nutrition and lifestyle changes could help her manage the condition.

"I didn’t want to be on medications from the start, but I knew something had to change. In just 7 months of following the Defeat Diabetes program, I’ve lost 9kg, my blood glucose has returned to normal, and I have more energy throughout the day. I feel more in control of my health than I ever have. I did it all by changing what I eat” she said.

Sladjana’s experience reflects a growing body of evidence that type 2 diabetes can be managed differently. The study's findings reinforce the role of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes care, challenging the long-held assumption that the condition is inevitably progressive and requires escalating medication. 

The study found that:¹

• One in five maintained blood glucose levels below 6.5% after stopping glucose-lowering medication entirely, indicating they’ve reversed diabetes.
• Of those on diabetes medication at the start, 13% discontinued all diabetes medication; 10% ceased all blood pressure medication; 7% stopped cholesterol-lowering medication.
• Liver markers (ALT and GGT) improved significantly, pointing to broader metabolic health gains beyond blood sugar alone.
• Self-reported well-being improved by 9 points, confidence in managing diabetes increased by 5 points, and diabetes-related distress fell significantly.

Type 2 diabetes affects more than 1.7 million people in Australia, with diagnoses almost tripling over the past two decades.² It accounts for over 2% of Australia’s total disease burden and is also a major contributing factor for heart disease, kidney disease, dementia and amputation.²

The clinical implications are also significant for the healthcare system, with diabetes costing more than $3 billion each year. Broader economic impacts, including lost productivity and long-term care costs, are estimated at a further $17.6 billion.^3,4

The findings are a wake-up call, according to Dr Ron Schweitzer, a general practitioner specialising in metabolic health and one of the clinicians behind the study.

"The old narrative — that type 2 diabetes is a one-way street toward more medication — simply doesn't hold up," he says. "In my practice, I've seen the Defeat Diabetes app help patients achieve real, lasting improvements that outperform medication. Many have been able to reduce their prescriptions or stop taking anti-diabetes drugs entirely."

Dr Schweitzer says the study brings long-overdue clinical backing to what many practitioners have already witnessed. “As the longest and most comprehensive real-world trial of a digitally-delivered low-carbohydrate nutrition program in Australia, it makes a clear case: structured dietary support isn't an alternative to standard diabetes care — it should be at the heart of it.”

With both prevalence and cost of diabetes expected to rise, Professor Peter Brukner, Sports and Exercise Physician and founder of Defeat Diabetes, said the study highlights a timely need to rethink how type 2 diabetes is managed.

“For too long, millions of Australians with type 2 diabetes have been left without hope. The standard approach has been to diagnose, medicate and monitor the decline. These results say otherwise. Nutrition therapy produces outcomes that medication alone rarely achieves and yet access to this kind of education remains out of reach for most people. That is not acceptable.

“This study shows that, for many Australians, the right nutrition education and care can lead to clinically significant improvements in health outcomes that are sustained longer-term,” Professor Brukner said.

“More than three billion dollars leaves the Australian healthcare system every year because of diabetes. We cannot keep ignoring what the evidence is telling us.”

ENDS

This media release has been distributed by Palin Communications on behalf of Defeat Diabetes. For all media enquiries, please contact:

 

Anastasiia Nazarenko Palin Communications 0435 977 559 |[email protected]

Maitreyi Kulkarni Palin Communications 0413 712 977 | [email protected]

 

Interview talent available:

• People with lived experience of type 2 diabetes in most Australian states are available for interviews; they can share firsthand experiences with digitally delivered education and nutrition support that align with the study results.
• Expert and clinical spokespeople are available to explain the clinical significance of the study results and implications for the standard approach to management of type 2 diabetes.

 

Note:

• App demonstration available for filming.
• Data visualisations and before/after clinical charts are available on request.

References

1. Despina Kolivas, Liz Fraser, Ronald Schweitzer, Peter Brukner, George Moschonis, A 12-month mHealth low-carbohydrate dietary intervention improved clinical and psychosocial outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, Volume 230, 2025, 112985, ISSN 0168-8227, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112985
2. AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2026) Diabetes: Australian facts, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 4 June 2026. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes/contents/summary
3. Diabetes Australia (2020) Survey on the Mental and Emotional Impact of living with diabetes, Surveyed by: Orima Research. 6 July 2020.
4. Australian Diabetes Society, Australian Diabetes Educators Association and Diabetes Australia. 2025-26 Pre-budget Submission to the Australian Government: Diabetes Research Mission Funded via the MRFF/NHMRC. Available at: 2025-26_Pre-budget-Submission-Diabetes-Research.pdf

 

Background information

About the Defeat Diabetes program

Defeat Diabetes is Australia’s only evidence-based, doctor- and dietitian-led digital program that focuses on education and behavioural change, supported by nutrition therapy, to help manage type 2 diabetes. Delivered online and on a mobile app, the program helps people with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes understand how to manage their condition through diet. Twelve structured interactive modules guide people into new thinking patterns, supported by practical tools including hundreds of diabetes-friendly recipes, weekly meal plans and resources. Learn more: https://www.defeatdiabetes.com.au/

 

About the study

The La Trobe University study explored how a low-carbohydrate dietary intervention for the management of type 2 diabetes, making it the first in Australia to analyse the impact of a digitally delivered low-carbohydrate dietary (LCD) intervention over 12 months.

 

The study followed 99 people with type 2 diabetes for 12 months while they participated in the Defeat Diabetes Program. Participants were referred by their GP, and all started with an HbA1c above 6.5%, which was measured by their GPs at intervals during the study (3 months, 6 months and 12 months), along with other key biomarkers. Researchers also reviewed participants’ food records and used validated questionnaires to assess perceived health status, confidence in managing diabetes, diabetes-related distress and sleep. Feedback from both participants and GPs was collected to assess the program's practicality and acceptability in real-world care. The study was conducted by PhD candidate Despina Kolivas under the supervision of Professor George Moschonis at La Trobe University.