"We do know that the most effective treatment for diabetes is weight reduction. It is a disease that is, to a large extent, caused by excess weight and it can be controlled by weight loss. We have very strong evidence now that the higher your weight, the more likely you are to have diabetes and we suspect that the more weight you lose regardless of whether you were obese or not, the more likely that your diabetes will go into remission," Professor O'Brien said.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases within Australia with an estimated 275 new cases diagnosed each day at an annual cost to the health system in excess of $3 billion. It can result in major problems in many parts of the body including the heart, leading to heart attacks, the vascular system leading to insufficient blood to the brain and the legs in particular, the kidneys leading to kidney failure, the nervous system, leading to many different disabilities and to the eyes leading to blindness. People with diabetes have a reduced life expectancy.

"It is important that the community has access to the best possible clinical information available and this trial aims to provide the necessary data for people to make an informed decision about their weight and management of their Type 2 diabetes.

"If we can provide that information then they will be able to choose the best method for them to reduce their weight and to put their diabetes condition into remission," Professor O'Brien said.

Source: Monash University