Publications

Published in 2024


Remission of type 2 diabetes: always more questions, but enough answers for action

Diabetologia (2024)

Rothberg, A., Lean, M. & Laferrère, B.


Impact of weight loss on cancer-related proteins in serum: results from a cluster randomised controlled trial of individuals with type 2 diabetes.

eBioMedicine, 2024

Caroline J. Bull, Emma Hazelwood, Danny N. Legge, Laura J. Corbin, Tom G. Richardson, Matthew Lee, James Yarmolinsky, Karl Smith-Byrne, David A. Hughes, Mattias Johansson, Ulrike Peters, Sonja I. Berndt, Hermann Brenner, Andrea Burnett-Hartman, Iona Cheng, Sun-Seog Kweon, Loic Le Marchand, Li Li, Polly A. Newcomb, Rachel Pearlman, Alex McConnachie, Paul Welsh, Roy Taylor, Mike E.J. Lean, Naveed Sattar, Neil Murphy, Marc J. Gunter, Nicholas J. Timpson, Emma E. Vincent..


Translation of a Diabetes Remission Service into Australian Primary Care: Findings from the Evaluation of DiRECT-Australia

Journal of Diabetes Research. 2024, Article ID 2350551, 12 pages

Ritesh Chimoriya, Kimberly Mitlehner, Chee L. Khoo, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu, Russell Thomson, Lei Si, Michael Lean, David Simmons, Milan K. Piya.


5 year follow-up of the randomised Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) of continued support for weight loss maintenance in the UK: an extension study.

The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology 2024

Supplementary appendix

Michael EJ Lean, Wilma S Leslie, Alison C Barnes, Naomi Brosnahan, George Thom, Louise McCombie, Tara Kelly, Keaton Irvine, Carl Peters, Sviatlana Zhyzhneuskaya, Kieren G Hollingsworth, Ashley J Adamson, Falko F Sniehotta, John C Mathers, Yvonne McIlvenna, Paul Welsh, Alex McConnachie, Alasdair McIntosh, Naveed Sattar, Roy Taylor.

Published in 2023


Using trials of caloric restriction and bariatric surgery to explore the effects of adiposity on the circulating proteome.

Scientific Reports 2023, 13 (1), 21077

Goudswaard L, Smith N, Hughes D, Taylor R, Lean MEJ et al.


Type 2 Diabetes Remission: Achieving Calorie Restriction and Weight Loss by Any Which Way?

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 108, Issue 6, June 2023, Pages e352–e353

James G Boyle, Michael E J Lean,


The metabolomic signature of weight loss and remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).

Diabetologia 2023, in press

Laura J Corbin, David A Hughes, Caroline J Bull, Emma E Vincent, Madeleine L Smith, Alex McConnachie, Claudia-Martina Messow, Paul Welsh, Roy Taylor, Mike E.J. Lean, Naveed Sattar, Nicholas John Timpson.


Prediction of Cardiometabolic Health Through Changes in Plasma Proteins With Intentional Weight Loss in the DiRECT and DIADEM-I Randomized Clinical Trials of Type 2 Diabetes Remission

Diabetes Care 2023; dc230602

Naveed Sattar, Shahrad Taheri, David P. Astling, Jessica Chadwick, Michael A. Hinterberg, Michael V. Holmes, Emma V. Troth, Paul Welsh, Hadeel Zaghloul, Odette Chagoury, Mike Lean, Roy Taylor, Steve Williams;


Physical activity, inactivity and sleep during the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).

Diabetic Medicine 2023, 40- 3 e15010

Sophie Cassidy, Michael Trenell, Renae J. Stefanetti, Sarah J. Charman, Alison C. Barnes, Naomi Brosnahan, Louise McCombie, George Thom, Carl Peters, Sviatlana Zhyzhneuskaya, Wilma S. Leslie, Christopher Catt, Michael Catt, Alex McConnachie, Naveed Sattar, Falko F. Sniehotta, Michael E. J. Lean, Roy Taylor.

Published in 2022


Weight Loss Improves Cardiometabolic Health as Measured by Plasma Proteins in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes

Circulation 146 (Suppl_1), A12671-A12671, 2022

N Sattar, S Taheri, P Welsh, D Astling, J Chadwick, M Hinterberg, E Troth, ...


Forget polypharmacy for type 2 diabetes! Weight management is a better investment

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 37 (5), 844-846, 2022

M Lean, L McCombie, Y Xin


A proteomic surrogate for cardiovascular outcomes that is sensitive to multiple mechanisms of change in risk

Science Translational Medicine 14 (639), eabj9625, 2022

SA Williams, R Ostroff, MA Hinterberg, J Coresh, CM Ballantyne, ...


Delivering the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) in primary care: Experiences of healthcare professionals

Diabetic Medicine 39 (3), e14752, 2022

L Rehackova, R Taylor, M Lean, A Barnes, L McCombie, G Thom, ...


The metabolomic signature of weight loss in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

medRxiv, 2022

LJ Corbin, DA Hughes, CJ Bull, EE Vincent, ML Smith, A McConnachie, ...


Delivering the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) in primary care: Experiences of healthcare professionals

Diabetic Medicine 39 (3), e14752, 2022

L Rehackova, R Taylor, M Lean, A Barnes, L McCombie, G Thom, ...

Published in 2021


Participant experiences in the diabetes REmission clinical trial (DiRECT)

Diabetic medicine 39 (1), e14689, 2022

L Rehackova, AM Rodrigues, G Thom, N Brosnahan, AC Barnes, ...


Antihypertensive medication needs and blood pressure control with weight loss in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Diabetologia 64 (9), 1927-1938, 2021

WS Leslie, E Ali, L Harris, CM Messow, NT Brosnahan, G Thom, ...


Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Diabetic Medicine 38 (8), e14395, 2021

G Thom, CM Messow, WS Leslie, AC Barnes, N Brosnahan, L McCombie, ...


2-year remission of type 2 diabetes and pancreas morphology: a post-hoc analysis of the DiRECT open-label, cluster-randomised trial

The lancet Diabetes & endocrinology 8 (12), 939-948, 2020

A Al-Mrabeh, KG Hollingsworth, JAM Shaw, A McConnachie, N Sattar, ...


Brief formula low‐energy‐diet for relapse management during weight loss maintenance in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 34 (3), 472-479, 2021

N Brosnahan, W Leslie, L McCombie, A Barnes, G Thom, A McConnachie, ...


Participant experiences in the Diabetes REmission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Diabetic Medicine 2021

Lucia Rehackova, Angela Margarete Rodrigues, George Thom, Naomi Brosnahan, Alison C. Barnes, Louise McCombie, Wilma S. Leslie, Sviatlana Zhyzhneuskaya, Carl Peters, Ashley J.Adamson, Michael E. J. Lean, Roy Taylor, Falko F. Sniehotta

14 September 2021


Antihypertensive medication needs and blood pressure control with weight loss in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Diabetologia (2021)

Wilma S. Leslie & Eman Ali & Leanne Harris & C. Martina Messow & Naomi T. Brosnahan & George Thom & E. Louise McCombie & Alison C. Barnes & Naveed Sattar & Roy Taylor & Michael E. J. Lean

2 June 2021


Brief formula low-energy-diet for relapse management during weight loss maintenance in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics (2021)

Naomi Brosnahan, Wilma Leslie, Louise McCombie, Alison Barnes, George Thom, Alex McConnachie, Claudia Martina Messow, Naveed Sattar, Roy Taylor Michael E. J. Lean

6 January 2021

Published in 2020


Time course of normalization of functional β-cell capacity in the diabetes remission clinical trial after weight loss in type 2 diabetes

Diabetes Care 43 (4), 813-820, 2020

SV Zhyzhneuskaya, A Al-Mrabeh, C Peters, A Barnes, B Aribisala, ...


Weight loss-induced increase in fasting ghrelin concentration is a predictor of weight regain: Evidence from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Diabetes Obes Metab (2020)

George Thom, Alasdair McIntosh, Claudia-Martina Messow, Wilma S. Leslie, Alison C. Barnes, Naomi Brosnahan, Louise McCombie,Dalia Malkova,Ahmad Al-Mrabeh, Sviatlana Zhyzhneuskaya,Paul Welsh, Naveed Sattar,Roy Taylor, Michael E. J. Lean,

2 December 2020


2-year remission of type 2 diabetes and pancreas morphology: a post-hoc analysis of the DiRECT open-label, cluster-randomised trial

Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology (2020)

Ahmad Al-Mrabeh, Kieren G Hollingsworth, James A M Shaw, Alex McConnachie, Naveed Sattar, Michael E J Lean, Roy Taylor*

5 October 2020


Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

Diabetic Medicine (2020)

G. Thom, C.-M. Messow, W. S. Leslie,A. C. Barnes, N. Brosnahan, L. McCombie, A. Al-Mrabeh, S. Zhyzhneuskaya, P. Welsh, N. Sattar,R. Taylor, M. E. J. Lean,

25 August 2020


Time course of normalization of functional β-cell capacity in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial after weight loss in type 2 diabetes

Journal Name - Diabetes Care

Zhyzhneuskaya, S. V., Al-Mrabeh, A., Peters, C., Barnes, A., Aribisala, B., Hollingsworth, K. G., McConnachie, A., Sattar, N., Lean, M. E.J., and Taylor, R.

08 September 2020


Hepatic lipoprotein export and remission of human type 2 diabetes after weight loss

Journal Name - Cell Metabolism

Al-Mrabeh, A., Zhyzhneuskaya, S. V., Peters, C., Barnes, A. C., Melhem, S., Jesuthasan, A., Aribisala, B., Hollingsworth, K. G., Lietz, G., Mathers, J. C., Sattar, N., Lean, M. E.J., and Taylor, R.

08 September 2020


Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)

G. Thom, C.-M. Messow, W. S. Leslie, A. C. Barnes, N. Brosnahan, L. McCombie, A. Al-Mrabeh, S. Zhyzhneuskaya, P. Welsh, N. Sattar, R. Taylor and M. E. J. Lean

02 September 2020


Type 2 diabetes remission: 2 year within-trial and lifetime-horizon cost-effectiveness of the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)/Counterweight-Plus weight management programme

Diabetologia, 63(10), 2112-2122.
DOI 10.1007/s00125-020-05224-2

Yiqiao Xin1 & Andrew Davies1 & Andrew Briggs2 & Louise McCombie3 & C. Martina Messow4 & Eleanor Grieve1 & Wilma S. Leslie3 & Roy Taylor5 & Michael E. J. Lean3

19 May 2020

Published in 2019


The DiRECT principles: giving Type 2 diabetes remission programmes the best chance of success

M. D. Hopkins1 , R. Taylor2 and M. E. J. Lean3 1 Diabetes UK, Wells Lawrence House, London, 2 Magnetic Resonance Centre, Institute of Cellular Medicine,Newcastle University, Newcastle, and 3 Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

15 October 2019


06 March 2019


Durability of a primary care-led weight-management intervention for remission of type 2 diabetes: 2-year results of the DiRECT open-label, cluster-randomised trial.

DiRECT 2 Year Results published on THELANCET.COM website

Lean MEJ, Leslie WS, Barnes AC, Brosnahan N, Thom G, McCombie L, Peters C, Zhyzhneuskaya S, Al-Mrabeh A, Hollingsworth KG, Rodrigues AM, Rehackova L, Adamson AJ, Sniehotta FF, Mathers JC, Ross HM, McIlvenna Y, Welsh P, Kean S, Ford I, McConnachie A, Messow CM, Sattar N, Taylor R.

06 March 2019


Published in 2018


Within-trial cost and 1-year cost-effectiveness of the DiRECT/Counterweight-Plus weight-management programme to achieve remission of type 2 diabetes

Xin Y, Davies A, McCombie L, Briggs A, Messow CM, Grieve E, Leslie WS, Taylor R, Lean MEJ. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2018 Dec 20. pii: S2213-8587(18)30346-2.

21 December 2018


Type 2 diabetes: 5000 patients to test feasibility of “remission service"

Feinmann J. BMJ. 2018 Nov 30;363:k5114. doi: 10.1136/bmj.k5114.

30 November 2018


Management of hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes, 2018. A consensus report by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)

*The DiRECT clinical trial is referenced in this report on page 19, ref 75

Davies MJ, D'Alessio DA, Fradkin J, Kernan WN, Mathieu C, Mingrone G, Rossing P, Tsapas A, Wexler DJ, Buse JB. Diabetologia. 2018 Dec;61(12):2461-2498.

09 October 2018


Cell Metabolism - Remission of Human Type 2 Diabetes Requires Decrease in Liver and Pancreas Fat Content but Is Dependent upon Capacity for b Cell Recovery

Taylor R, Al-Mrabeh A, Zhyzhneuskaya S, Peters C, Barnes AC, Aribisala BS, Hollingsworth KG, Mathers JC, Sattar N,Lean MEJ. Cell Metab. 2018 Oct 2;28(4):667.

17 August 2018


Published in 2017


Primary care-led weight management for remission of type 2 diabetes (DiRECT): an open-label, cluster-randomised trial.

DiRECT 1 Year Results published on THELANCET.COM website

Lean ME, Leslie WS, Barnes AC, Brosnahan N, Thom G, McCombie L, Peters C, Zhyzhneuskaya S, Al-Mrabeh A, Hollingsworth KG, Rodrigues AM, Rehackova L, Adamson AJ, Sniehotta FF, Mathers JC, Ross HM, McIlvenna Y, Stefanetti R, Trenell M, Welsh P, Kean S, Ford I, McConnachie A, Sattar N, Taylor R.

13 December 2017


Clinical and metabolic features of the randomised controlled Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) cohort

Taylor R, Leslie WS, Barnes AC, Brosnahan N, Thom G, McCombie L, Sattar N, Welsh P, Peters C, Zhyzhneuskaya S, Hollingsworth KG, Al-Mrabeh A, Rodrigues AM, Rehackova L, Adamson AJ, Sniehotta FF, Mathers JC, Ross HM, McIlvenna Y, Kean S, Ford I, McConnachie A,Lean MEJ. Diabetologia. 2018 Mar;61(3):589-598. Epub 2017 Nov 30

25 October 2017


Beating type 2 diabetes into remission

This was featured in the print edition of the bmj magazine published on the 16th September 2017. Clicking on the image will take you to the online version of the article hosted at www.bmj.com, which also includes a link at the top of the page to a podcast discussing diabetes remission.

McCombie L, Leslie W, Taylor R, Kennon B, Sattar N,Lean MEJ. BMJ. 2017 Sep 13;358.

The BMJ - Lighten the load cover

13 September 2017


Published in 2016


Weight losses with low-energy formula diets in obese patients with and without T2D

Leslie WS, Taylor R, Harris L, Lean ME Int J Obes (Lond). 2016 ;1-6.

06 December 2016


The Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT): protocol for a cluster randomised trial

Leslie WS, Ford I, Sattar N, Hollingsworth KG, Adamson A, Sniehotta FF, McCombie L, Brosnahan N, Ross H, Mathers JC, Peters C, Thom G, Barnes A, Kean S, McIlvenna Y, Rodrigues A, Rehackova L, Zhyzhneuskaya S, Taylor R, Lean ME. BMC Fam Pract. 2016;17:20.

16 February 2016