Weight loss over two years is a strong predictor of reduced diabetes risk, according to a recent study that examined diabetes predictors among participants with prediabetes in a lifestyle intervention program.
The study, published in Diabetes Care, examined measures of weight loss in relation to diabetes for 1,000 participants in the program. Every kilogram of weight loss (from the baseline measure) that was maintained for two years corresponded with a 10 percent decrease in that person’s risk of diabetes, according to the study.
The study looked at participants in a Diabetes Prevention Program. The National Institutes of Health funded the creation of the one-year lifestyle program, designed to help participants lose weight and increase their activity levels to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In the program, lifestyle coaches met with participants individually for 24 weeks, then offered individual sessions and group classes to discuss changes, such as healthy eating, physical activity, reducing stress and problem-solving.
The results of the study in Diabetes Care point to the need for maintenance programs offered with prevention programs to maximize weight loss sustainability, which would increase the potential to prevent or delay diabetes, the study said.
“Although lapses in eating behavior may lead to weight regain and some weight cycling, the ability to refocus on weight loss behaviors and achieve weight loss overall appears to be most important for diabetes prevention,” the study said.
Another recent study found that prevention program participants continued to see the benefits of the program long after they participated. Participants of a program saw a 27 percent reduction in the rate of type 2 diabetes even 15 years after they started the program.
The YMCA of the USA offers a prevention program based on the National Diabetes Prevention Program’s model of lifestyle intervention and coaching, and the AMA is partnering with this organization as part of the AMA’s Improving Health Outcomes initiative. A big part of the initiative is a pilot with physicians that is testing ways to increase referrals to the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program and to create a feedback mechanism from the program to physicians.
Physician practice sites in three states are screening patients for prediabetes and referring them to the program at a local YMCA. Participating physicians receive updates on their patients’ progress to incorporate into their care plans.
