2026 ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes Updates Overview

Every year, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) updates its Standards of Care in Diabetes. These updates matter because they help guide doctors, pharmacists, diabetes educators, and people living with diabetes toward the safest and most effective care.

The 2026 Standards of Care include important updates in several key areas, including:

• Nutrition and obesity treatment support

• Diabetes technology like CGMs and insulin pumps

• Heart and kidney protection

• Diabetes care in the workplace and school

• Screening and monitoring updates

• Special situations like pregnancy, cancer treatment, and organ transplant

This blog post gives you a clear overview of what’s new—and what it may mean for people living with diabetes.

Important note: This blog is for education only and does not replace medical advice. Always talk with your healthcare provider before making changes to medications or devices.

1) Big Picture Shift: More Personalized Diabetes Care

One of the strongest themes in the 2026 ADA Standards is this:

✅ Diabetes care should be personalized, not “one-size-fits-all.”

The ADA continues to emphasize shared decision-making, which means:

• You and your healthcare team make decisions together

• Your goals, preferences, finances, and lifestyle matter

• Your treatment plan should fit your real life

This is a major step forward, because people do better when their plan is realistic and sustainable.

Why this matters:
When people feel heard and supported, they are more likely to stay consistent with nutrition changes, medication routines, and glucose monitoring.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

2) Nutrition + Obesity Care: More Support, Not Just “Eat Less”

The ADA continues to recognize that obesity is not about willpower alone. It is a medical condition influenced by:

• hormones

• stress

• sleep

• medications

• metabolism

• environment

• mental health

• food access and affordability

One of the updated messages in 2026 is that weight management plans should include:

✅ nutrition support
✅ physical activity
✅ behavioral health support
✅ counseling
✅ regular monitoring

This is important because many people have tried diets and failed—not because they are lazy, but because they didn’t have enough structure or support.

What aligns with functional medicine?

This is actually very aligned with functional medicine because it supports:

• whole-person care

• root-cause thinking

• stress and sleep as key drivers

• behavior change support

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

3) Stronger Focus on Heart and Kidney Protection

Diabetes is not only about A1C. It is also about preventing long-term complications, especially:

• heart disease

• stroke

• chronic kidney disease (CKD)

The 2026 Standards continue to highlight medications that can reduce these risks, including:

SGLT2 inhibitors

These are often used to help:

• slow kidney disease progression

• reduce cardiovascular risk in appropriate patients

GLP-1 receptor agonists

These may support:

• weight loss

• improved blood sugar control

• cardiovascular risk reduction

The ADA is continuing to refine guidance about how these medications are used in more complex situations (like kidney disease and dialysis), because many people with type 2 diabetes also have kidney and heart conditions.

Why this matters:
This supports a more prevention-focused approach instead of waiting until complications happen.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

4) New Guidance for Special Situations (Cancer, Transplant, Surgery)

Some of the 2026 updates include medication guidance for diabetes management in special cases, such as:

• people receiving certain cancer treatments

• people who have had an organ transplant

• people having surgery (peri-operative care)

This matters because diabetes care can become more complicated when someone is dealing with:

• steroids

• immune therapies

• transplant medications

• stress hormones from surgery or illness

The ADA highlights the need for careful glucose monitoring and safe medication choices in these situations.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

5) Diabetes Technology Updates: CGMs Are Expanding

One of the biggest and most exciting updates is around continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).

The ADA now recommends CGM more broadly, including:

✅ CGM can be used at diabetes diagnosis or any time after
✅ CGM may be used for people on insulin
✅ CGM may be helpful for people using medications that can cause hypoglycemia
✅ CGM may be useful to support management across many treatment plans

The 2026 Standards also recognize different types of CGM options, including:

• real-time CGM (rtCGM)

• professional CGM (clinic-owned, short-term use)

• over-the-counter CGM (OTC CGM), where available

Why CGM is such a big deal for diabetes

CGM can help people see patterns like:

• morning high fasting glucose

• food-related spikes

• stress-related spikes

• nighttime lows

• exercise responses

And it helps move diabetes care away from “guessing” and toward data-driven decisions.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

6) Insulin Pumps and Automated Insulin Delivery: Fewer Barriers

Another update in 2026 is that the ADA is removing certain barriers to starting advanced insulin technology, such as:

• not requiring C-peptide testing

• not requiring specific antibody testing

• not requiring a certain insulin duration before starting pump or automated delivery systems

Why this matters:
This can help more people access the tools they need without unnecessary delays.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

7) Safety and Support: Workplaces and Schools Matter

The ADA also continues to emphasize that diabetes care doesn’t only happen at home or in a clinic.

People need support in real life settings, including:

Workplace accommodations

If someone uses diabetes technology, they may need:

• time to check glucose

• time to treat lows

• time to calibrate or troubleshoot devices

• time to eat snacks or meals safely

School support for children and teens

Students using devices like:

• CGM

• insulin pumps

• connected insulin pens

• automated insulin delivery systems

may need additional support at school for safe diabetes management.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

8) Tobacco and Vaping: Stronger “Avoid” Messaging

The ADA continues to advise avoiding tobacco products and also highlights the importance of avoiding:

• e-cigarettes

• vaping

This is important because nicotine use is linked with:

• higher cardiovascular risk

• increased inflammation

• worse diabetes outcomes

If someone wants to quit, the ADA supports treatment that includes:

• counseling

• medications when appropriate

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

9) Updated Monitoring and Screening Recommendations

The ADA includes updates around monitoring important health markers, including:

• kidney function tests (eGFR)

• potassium levels for certain blood pressure and kidney medications

• blood pressure goals

• anxiety screening

• diabetes distress and mental health support

This matters because diabetes management is not only physical—it’s emotional too.

Diabetes distress is real, and support matters.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

10) Pregnancy Updates: More Detailed Guidance

The 2026 Standards include updated guidance for diabetes management in pregnancy, including topics like:

• preconception planning

• weight and glucose goals

• CGM use

• insulin options

• blood pressure and triglyceride management

Pregnancy with diabetes requires a very careful plan, and the ADA continues to improve clarity in this area.

Reference: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 

What These Updates Mean for YOU (Simple Takeaways)

If you’re living with diabetes, here are the most helpful takeaways:

✅ You deserve a plan that fits your life

Shared decision-making matters. Your lifestyle and stress level matter.

✅ You don’t have to do this alone

Nutrition and obesity treatment should include support, not shame.

✅ Technology is becoming more accessible

CGM is being recommended for more people—not just those on insulin.

✅ Diabetes care is about prevention

Protecting your heart and kidneys is just as important as A1C.

✅ Your mental health matters too

Anxiety screening and diabetes distress support are now part of better care.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 ADA Standards of Care show that diabetes care is evolving in a good direction:

More personalized.
More supportive.
More focused on prevention.
More focused on quality of life.

And that is exactly what people with diabetes need.

If you want help creating a simple, realistic plan to improve your blood sugar, weight, and energy—without extreme dieting—this is what we do inside Rx Health & Wellness.

References (Real + Reliable)

1. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care. (2026).
   (Official ADA Standards publication—use the final published link from ADA when available.)

2. American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Technology: Standards of Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care. (Updated annually)
   https://diabetesjournals.org/care

3. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Diabetes Overview and Management
   https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes and Heart Disease Risk
   https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes

5. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Behavioral Counseling and Preventive Recommendations
   https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/