diabetes prevention

More and more research is emerging to support the value of physical activity and a
healthy balanced diet.
In one study, 3234 non-diabetic patients with elevated glucose - a
high-risk population for developing diabetes - were assigned to either a placebo,
metformin or lifestyle modifications. Lifestyle intervention was classified as a
goal of at least 7% weight loss and at 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
The average length of time for follow-up was 2.8 years. Results showed that after
this time the incidence of diabetes had been reduced by 58% in the lifestyle
intervention group as compared to the placebo whereas metformin group had reduced
their incidence of diabetes only 31%.
This has been backed up by numerous other studies and one particular
study suggested that lifestyle interventions could reduce the incidence of disease
by 20% and delay the development of diabetes by 11 years as compared to Metformin
which only resulted in an 8% reduction in disease and delayed onset of diabetes by 3
years.
Another study of lifestyle interventions in people at high risk for
type II diabetes showed sustained lifestyle changes and a reduction in diabetes
incidence that remained after the individual lifestyle counselling was
stopped.