Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death, directly accounting for 1.5 million deaths annually worldwide. Despite several breakthrough discoveries, little progress has been made in type 2 diabetes outcomes over the past 100 years. Younger age (below 60 years), a diet high in calories and processed food, and severe obesity (body mass index >35 kg/m2) may identify reversible beta cell dysfunction. Much of the clinical presentation pertains to flooding the body’s adaptive limits with overnutrition. Recognizing this as a global societal trend brought about by lifestyle changes, sedentary work, mental stress and unlimited access to calorie-dense foods is crucial. Insulin resistance and genetic abnormalities cannot account for the dramatic increase in diabetes, from only 1% five decades ago to nearly 10% today. Obesity – and not insulin resistance – is at the core of the problem. As well as hyperglycaemia, end-organ damage can also be reversed with diet and weight loss in many affected individuals. We present the evolution of our understanding and compelling reasons to reframe diabetes in the severely obese to what it really is – overweight hyperglycaemia. This may shift societal perception, governmental funding, workplace reformations and individual engagement with healthy lifestyles. The objective of this review is to better understand global trends and the potential to improve outcomes by reframing the diabetes narrative towards remission. This may shift societal perception, governmental funding, workplace reformations and individual engagement with healthy lifestyles.