Diabetes mellitus has become one of the leading global health challenges, with prevalence rates continuing to increase. While traditional pharmacological treatments provide effective management of diabetes, they often come with significant side effects and economic burdens. This highlights the need for alternative, sustainable strategies that not only manage the condition but also prevent its onset. Functional foods, particularly those rich in bioactive compounds, like polysaccharides and peptides, present a promising solution to diabetes. These compounds exhibit unique bioactivities that regulate glucose metabolism, enhance insulin sensitivity, and modulate lipid metabolism. They act through distinct molecular interactions that make them highly relevant for mechanistic exploration in diabetes care. Despite their potential, the molecular mechanisms underlying those beneficial effects remain underexplored. Understanding these mechanisms can pave the way for their application in diabetes prevention and treatment, contributing to more effective, non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches.

This Research Topic aims to bridge the gap in knowledge regarding the role of polysaccharides and peptides derived from functional foods in diabetes management. It focuses on understanding the molecular pathways, including Wnt/β-catenin, FoxO, PI3K/AKT, and AMPK, through which these bioactive compounds exert their effects. By combining experimental approaches—including in vitro assays on pancreatic β-cell proliferation, animal models evaluating glucose tolerance, and in vivo imaging of insulin signaling—with computational methods such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and network pharmacology analysis, this Research Topic will provide new insights into how functional food bioactives regulate key signaling networks and contribute to improved glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and lipid metabolism. In addition, a nutrigenomic and epigenetic perspective will be emphasized to explore how these compounds modulate gene expression and epigenetic markers associated with diabetes. The goal is to deepen the mechanistic understanding of the development of these compounds into nutraceuticals and functional foods for diabetes prevention and management.

We invite contributions that explore the role of polysaccharides and peptides derived from functional foods in diabetes management. The scope of this Research Topic includes, but is not limited to:

• Extraction, characterization, and structural analysis of polysaccharides and peptides relevant to diabetes management.

• Pathway-specific mechanisms, focusing on the regulation of Wnt, FoxO, PI3K/AKT, AMPK, and related signaling networks.

• In vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies on the anti-diabetic activities and molecular mechanisms of polysaccharides and peptides.

• Computational biology, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and simulation studies, to predict and confirm compound–target interactions.

• Nutrigenomics and epigenetics, exploring the effects of polysaccharides and peptides on gene regulation related to diabetes.

• Formulation and delivery systems, addressing strategies to improve bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.

• Synergistic effects of polysaccharides and peptides with other dietary interventions or pharmaceutical agents.

This Research Topic aims to provide a comprehensive platform for cutting-edge research into the potential of food-derived bioactives for diabetes prevention and therapy.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Polysaccharides and Peptides from Functional Foods in Diabetes Management: Pathways, Mechanisms, and Computational Insights