ADA–EASD Consensus Broadens Type 2 Diabetes Care Beyond Glycemic Management

The American Diabetes Association and European Association for the Study of Diabetes have updated their consensus recommendations for managing type 2 diabetes in nonpregnant adults. Published in Diabetes Care, the 2026 report was informed by a systematic examination of publications since 2022, when the previous update appeared. It targets multidisciplinary diabetes care teams in the U.S. and Europe.

The update broadens the focus from hyperglycemia to holistic diabetes care and the risk of associated long-term conditions. Core elements include healthy eating, 24-hour physical behaviors including sleep, avoidance of tobacco and substance use, psychological support, and weight management interventions. The panel advocates earlier use of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and/or glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)–based therapies, potentially from diagnosis, to provide organ protection and improve long-term outcomes. Earlier combination use should also be considered in people with concomitant cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure.

The report emphasizes consistent, equitable implementation of available strategies and therapies. This is a consensus update rather than a new clinical trial; the supplied abstract provides no quantitative effect estimates. Because the full text was unavailable, detailed treatment-selection criteria, evidence grading, and qualifications to individual recommendations could not be assessed.