GLP-1 medicine mixed with wholesome life-style habits linked with decreased cardiovascular threat amongst diabetes sufferers

Embargoed for launch: Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 6:30 PM ET

Key factors:

• In a research of coronary heart well being amongst adults residing with sort 2 diabetes (T2D), the usage of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) together with adherence to wholesome life-style habits was linked with decreased threat of a significant opposed cardiovascular occasion (MACE), together with coronary heart assault, stroke, or heart problems loss of life. Those who used a GLP-1 RA and adhered to 6 to eight wholesome habits had a 43% decrease threat in comparison with those that didn’t use a GLP-1 RA and adhered to 3 or fewer wholesome habits.
• The research additionally discovered that GLP-1 RA utilization and wholesome habits independently benefited coronary heart well being, although at completely different magnitudes: Those with T2D who used a GLP-1 RA had a 16% decrease threat of a MACE, whereas those that adhered to eight wholesome life-style habits had a 60% decrease threat.
• According to the researchers, the findings point out that life-style interventions stay central to diabetes administration and coronary heart well being and might amplify the advantages of GLP-1 RAs, demonstrating to policymakers the significance of selling wholesome habits even in a contemporary drug period.

Boston, MA—Individuals residing with sort 2 diabetes (T2D) had a considerably decrease threat of poor cardiovascular well being once they used a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) together with adhering to wholesome life-style habits, based on a brand new research led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System. The research is the primary giant cohort investigation to look at the mixed results of wholesome habits and GLP-1 RAs on coronary heart well being, displaying that the 2 methods are complementary, fairly than substitutes, in bettering cardiovascular outcomes amongst sufferers with diabetes.

“Our findings underscore that, even in the era of highly effective GLP-1 pharmacotherapy, lifestyle habits remain central to diabetes management and cardiovascular risk reduction and can substantially amplify the benefits of modern medications,” mentioned corresponding writer Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition.

The research might be revealed February 25, 2026, in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

The researchers examined the life-style habits, GLP-1 RA utilization, and cardiovascular well being outcomes of greater than 98,000 adults residing with T2D and with none prior heart problems, utilizing information from the Veterans Affairs’ Million Veteran Program from 2011 to 2023. The wholesome life-style habits the researchers thought-about have been nutritious diet, common train, not smoking, restful sleep, minimal alcohol consumption, good stress administration, social connection and assist, and no opioid use dysfunction. The main opposed cardiovascular occasions (MACEs) they thought-about have been non-fatal stroke, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular loss of life. More than 13,000 of the research contributors used a GLP-1 RA. When analyzing the connection between life-style, GLP-1 RAs, and coronary heart well being, the researchers managed for potential demographic and health-related confounders.

The research discovered that sustaining a wholesome life-style and utilizing a GLP-1 RA led to considerably decreased MACE threat. Those who used a GLP-1 RA and adhered to 6 to eight wholesome habits had a 43% decrease threat in comparison with those that didn’t use a GLP-1 RA and adhered to 3 or fewer such habits. The research additionally discovered that wholesome habits and GLP-1 RA utilization independently benefited coronary heart well being. Those who adhered to all eight wholesome habits had a 60% decrease threat in comparison with those that adhered to at least one or fewer, and those that used a GLP-1 RA had a 16% decrease MACE threat in comparison with those that didn’t. 

“From a public health perspective, the results underscore the continued importance of population-level investments and policy in promoting healthy diet, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and social connection, even in a modern drug era,” Hu mentioned. “As novel therapies expand, scalable lifestyle interventions remain essential for reducing the overall burden of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.”

The researchers famous that the research had some limitations. The outcomes have been based mostly on observational information, that means residual confounding by socioeconomic standing and different components was doable, although these variables have been accounted for within the evaluation. Additionally, the research inhabitants primarily consisted of white male veterans, which can restrict the generalizability of the outcomes, although the general findings have been constant throughout completely different racial and ethnic teams and between women and men.

Article data

“Combined associations of GLP-1 medications and a healthy lifestyle with cardiovascular outcomes among individuals with diabetes,” Xuan-Mai T. Nguyen, Yanping Li, Sébastien Czernichow, Nathalie Rassy, Serena C. Houghton, Bing Lu, Yuk-Lam Ho, Brian R. Charest, Dong D. Wang, David R. Gagnon, John Michael Gaziano, Walter C. Willett, Peter W.F. Wilson, Kelly Cho, Frank B. Hu, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, February 25, 2026, doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00395-X

The research was based mostly on information from the Million Veteran Program, Office of Research and Development, Veterans Heath Administration, and was supported by the Veterans Administration MVP awards #000 and #001. Support for VA/CMS information offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Health Services Research and Development Service, VA Information Resource Center (Project Numbers SDR 02-237 and 98-004).

Hu obtained a analysis grant from Analysis Group. Czernichow obtained consulting charges from Novo Nordisk, Boehringer, AstraZeneca, MSD, Roche, Amgen, Pfizer, and Fresenius; fee or honoraria for lectures, displays, audio system bureaus, manuscript writing, or instructional occasions from Novo Nordisk, Janssen-Cilag, J&J, and Novartis; and assist for attending conferences or journey from Novo Nordisk and Lilly. Additionally, Czernichow participated in an advisory board for Novo Nordisk and Lilly and has inventory or inventory choices for Alifert and Jellynov.

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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is a neighborhood of progressive scientists, practitioners, educators, and college students devoted to bettering well being and advancing fairness so all folks can thrive. We analysis the numerous components influencing well being and collaborate extensively to translate these insights into insurance policies, applications, and practices that forestall illness and promote well-being for folks all over the world. We additionally educate hundreds of public well being leaders a 12 months by means of our diploma applications, postdoctoral coaching, fellowships, and persevering with schooling programs. Founded in 1913 as America’s first skilled coaching program in public well being, the School continues to have a unprecedented influence in fields starting from infectious illness to environmental justice to well being programs and past.

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