Does area of residence influence weight loss following a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes? Fixed effects longitudinal analysis of 54,707 middle-to-older aged Australians

•Reduction in body mass index coincided with diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.•Larger reductions among rural, compared to urban participants.•Fixed effects models rule out time-varying confounding.•Geographic location plays a role in secondary prevention.

Reductions in body mass index and reduced overweight/obesity risk among participants in the 45 and Up Study diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were relatively large in rural areas compared to those in urban environs. Further research is needed to explain why where people reside influences optimal management of T2DM.