title: Weight management in type 2 diabetes: current and emerging approaches to treatment.
abstract: Diabetes is a growing global health concern, as is obesity. Diabetes and obesity are intrinsically linked: obesity increases the risk of diabetes and also contributes to disease progression and cardiovascular disease. Although the benefits of weight loss in the prevention of diabetes and as a critical component of managing the condition are well established, weight reduction remains challenging for individuals with type 2 diabetes due to a host of metabolic and psychological factors. For many patients, lifestyle intervention is not enough to achieve weight loss, and alternative options, such as pharmacotherapy, need to be considered. However, many traditional glucose-lowering medications may lead to weight gain. This article focuses on the potential of currently available pharmacological strategies and on emerging approaches in development to support the glycemic and weight-loss goals of individuals with type 2 diabetes. Two pharmacotherapy types are considered: those developed primarily for blood glucose control that have a favorable effect on body weight and those developed primarily to induce weight loss that have a favorable effect on blood glucose control. Finally, the potential of combination therapies for the management of obese patients with type 2 diabetes is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium luc.van.gaal@uza.be.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Gaal
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Disorders and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheen
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000517:prevention & control; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents