November - 3 - 2009
Diabetes can be prevented or delayed for at least 10 years with lifestyle intervention or metformin, according to a follow-up of 2,766 participants from the Diabetes Prevention Program. In 2.8 years of the DPP trial, diabetes incidence in high-risk adults declined by 58 percent with intensive lifestyle intervention and by 31 percent with metformin, compared to placebo. The original lifestyle group had lost weight, which was partly regained, while the metformin group maintained the modest weight loss its members had achieved. In 10 years of follow-up after the study, incidences in the placebo and metformin groups had declined and become equal to those in the lifestyle intervention group. However, the cumulative incidence of diabetes remained lowest in the lifestyle group.