Participating In Lifestyle Change Programs Is Key To Reducing Weight, Risk Of Diabetes

Lifestyle intervention among people at high risk of diabetes could cut the rate of progression to the debilitating disease by as much as 50 percent, according to a U.S. study. Researchers reviewed published literature and studies that tested adaptations of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) trial, in which participants received exercise shoes, meal replacement shakes, one-on-one coaching by exercise physiologists, nutritionists, and nurses, and gym memberships. The researchers found that one year after enrollment the average participant had lost about four percent of baseline body weight, an amount that may offer diabetes protection. Costs associated with diabetes prevention could also be lowered without sacrificing effectiveness. The key to success in weight loss? Motivating higher session attendance.