Report from an effort to prevent type 2 diabetes development in primary care

In a clinical trial 2009-2012, individuals with prediabetes were randomised to a lifestyle intervention (LI) focused on physical activity or care as usual (CAU), with the aim of reducing development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). At study termination after three years, there was a significantly less of an increase in insulin resistance in LI compared with the CAU group. The aim of this extended follow-up was to investigate whether positive results concerning metabolic variables remained five years after study termination.

All participants from the original study were contacted for a new follow-up with an oral glucose tolerance test, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and blood samples. Questionnaires about lifestyle were completed.

A total of 69 of the original 123 participants were examined, and personal data for another five participants were collected from the medical charts (n = 74). The LI group showed a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (-4 mmHg, CI 95% 0.8-6.8, p = 0.014) and body weight (-3 kg, CI 95% 1.2-4.9, p = 0.002) since base-line. Weight loss in the LI group was significantly greater compared with weight loss in the CAU group (-3 kg, CI 0.1-5.9, p = 0.044). Insulin resistance markers and incident T2DM were similar among the groups.

Although without modifying the incidence of diabetes or the level of insulin resistance, a physical activity intervention may be used to induce sustainable weight change in subjects with prediabetes at the primary care level.