American Diabetes Society

Welcome to the American Diabetes Society. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preventing & reversing type 2 diabetes through root-cause, evidence-based metabolic health education & advocacy. We focus on insulin resistance, not just glucose numbers.

A1C is an important marker. But it's only one piece of the metabolic health puzzle. As @BenBikmanPhD explains, factors like red blood cell lifespan can influence A1C, which is why understanding insulin resistance often requires looking beyond a single lab value.

A1C is a valuable tool for assessing long-term blood sugar, but it's only one piece of the metabolic health. Red blood cell lifespan, iron status, inflammation, and certain medical conditions can skew A1C, meaning it may not always reflect what's happening beneath the surface.

A1C has become the headline of metabolic health. While it's an important tool, it doesn't tell us everything about insulin resistance or overall metabolic health. The goal isn't to focus on one number but to understand the whole picture. better outcomes -> better understanding.

Meet ADS Board Member @drericwestman A board-certified physician, researcher, and educator, Dr. Westman has spent more than two decades studying evidence-based nutrition and metabolic health. We're proud to have his expertise helping guide the mission of the ADS.

What if the conversation about nutrition has been incomplete? For many people with insulin resistance, food quality, carbohydrate tolerance, and metabolic health deserve a bigger place in the discussion. Understanding the cause changes the options.

Instead of asking, "Why don't people have more willpower?" We can ask, "What's driving insulin resistance, and how can we improve it?" Education doesn't change the past, but it can change what happens next. That's why we exist.

When ultra-processed foods become the norm, poor metabolic health shouldn't come as a surprise. #metabolichealth #type2diabetes

Just 6.8% of U.S. adults met the criteria for optimal cardiometabolic health this national study. That's not just a statistic. It's a reminder that we need to focus on preventing and improving metabolic disease not simply managing it.

For years, fat was the focus. Today we know the conversation is bigger than that. For many people with insulin resistance, reducing ultra-processed foods and understanding how different foods affect blood sugar and insulin matters more than simply choosing "low fat."

Meet ADS Board Member @drtonyhampton. A board-certified obesity medicine specialist, author, & educator, Dr. Hampton has dedicated his career to helping people understand insulin resistance and improve metabolic health through practical, evidence-based strategies.

25g of protein isn't always 25g of usable protein. Digestibility and amino acid composition matter too. When it comes to satiety, muscle maintenance, and metabolic health, protein quality is part of the equation.

Type 2 diabetes is often driven by insulin resistance, not just high blood sugar. Food, movement, sleep, and stress all matter. Small, consistent changes can help change the trajectory.

Improving metabolic health rarely happens all at once. It's built through small decisions repeated consistently. One meal. One walk. One day at a time.

Type 2 diabetes is often presented as a progressive disease. But metabolic health can improve. When insulin resistance improves, blood sugar often improves too. The direction isn't always one-way.

Many people with type 2 diabetes are taught to focus on blood sugar. Far fewer are taught about insulin resistance. When you understand the underlying metabolic problem, different solutions start to make sense. Root-cause care begins with understanding the cause.

Sometimes the most powerful treatment isn't another prescription. It's removing what's overwhelming the system. For many people with type 2 diabetes, improving metabolic health starts with changing the inputs not adding more medications. What changed when you changed your diet?

What's more dangerous in medicine: Being wrong or believing there's nothing left to learn? After watching The Cholesterol Code, @KenDBerryMD shares why curiosity may be one of the most important qualities a physician can have. Full conversation with @bschermd coming soon.

"Anecdotal evidence" = a real person's real lived experience. Track your blood sugar. Observe your results. Learn from your own data. That's how better decisions get made. #Diabetes #MetabolicHealth

You do not need a perfect diet to improve your health. You do not need to “start over Monday.” Better is powerful. Consistency compounds. Progress counts. What small changes have you made that have compounded overtime?

Every meal changes something. Blood sugar. Satiety. Inflammation. Energy. Hunger signaling. Food is more than calories.