Weight loss number one diabetes prevention

A new study has shown that the foremost factor in reducing diabetes risk is to lose weight .
The study was a part of the Diabetes Prevention Program and focused on intensive lifestyle interventio, which involved reducing calories and fat to lower weight. Participants who dropped their weight by 7 per cent lowered their likelihood of developing diabetes by 58 per cent over a three year period.
The study was conducted at the George Washington University in Rockville, Maryland. Study participants were overweight and also suffered from an impaired ability to process glucose . Both factors predict the development of diabetes. Participants were encouraged to exercise moderately for at least 2.5 hours per week.
The team looked to encourage weight loss through exercise and dietary fat reduction. Fat intake in diet was also reduced by 25 per cent, and calories were also dropped if weight-loss goals were not met.
The report, published in the September 2006 issue of Diabetes Care, concluded: Interventions to reduce the risk of diabetes should aim at weight loss as the primary determinant of success.”