Obesity and overweight are strongly linked to type 2 diabetes . Weight management , be it the prevention of weight gain or the treatment of obesity , remain a cornerstone in the management of type 2 diabetes as just a 5% loss can improve insulin sensitivity , glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factor . However , it is in the patient with type 2 diabetes for a variety of reason , and it is also clear that no one strategy works for all . There is further work needed to find the best nutritional and pharmacological therapy for the individual patient . Untit then , long-term , sustained weight loss will remain a holy grail in diabetes management .