Today, the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) issued a joint consensus statement: Management of Type 2 Diabetes, 2026: A Consensus Report by the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.The statement, simultaneously published in Diabetes Care® and Diabetologia, is part of a longstanding partnership between the ADA and the EASD and offers important clinical guidance for type 2 diabetes care in non-pregnant adults, published since 2006 and last updated in 2022. The 2026 statement was chaired by John Buse, MD, PhD, and Melanie Davies, CBE, MBChB, MD.
“This consensus represents a significant evolution toward a comprehensive management approach in type 2 diabetes, considering not only glucose management, but also attainment of individualized weight management and heart, kidney, and liver protection goals. Developing a diabetes care plan in a more comprehensive context can be the difference between managing diabetes and supporting people in thriving with diabetes,” said Joshua J. Neumiller, PharmD, CDCES, the ADA’s senior vice president of medical affairs.
Among the proactive approaches included in the consensus are:
- Earlier intervention, such as use of glucose-lowering medications early in care, to prevent longitudinal complications associated with type 2 diabetes and change disease trajectory.
- Earlier use of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1-based therapies to modify disease and reduce complication risk, with particular attention to tailoring therapy towards the individual’s own cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease risk.
- More prominent focus on monitoring and treating conditions that can coexist with type 2 diabetes, such as heart failure, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, and periodontal health. The recommendations extend beyond eye, foot, and kidney complications that are already typically monitored.
The consensus statement includes an updated algorithm on the use of glucose-lowering medications in the management of type 2 diabetes. Alongside nutrition and other behavioral interventions, the recommendations also include an updated 24-hour framework that organizes and promotes healthy behaviors across a full day.
“The broader approach to type 2 diabetes management taken in this consensus offers the opportunity for more clinically meaningful sustained improvements in metabolic health, organ protection, weight and body composition management, functional health, and associated multiple long-term outcomes.” said Rita Kalyani, MD, MHS, consensus co-author and the ADA’s chief scientific and medical officer.
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About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes and helping people thrive. For 86 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education we work to improve the quality of life for the over 155 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383). Join us in the fight on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn). To learn more about how we are advocating for everyone affected by diabetes, visit us on X (@AmDiabetesAssn).
