Improved diet and exercise 'can prevent or delay diabetes'

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Improved diet and exercise 'can prevent or delay diabetes'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1021400/Improved-diet-

exercise-prevent-delay-diabetes.html

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 10:35 AM on 23rd May 2008

Drinking less alcohol, eating more vegetables and exercising can

delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes, according to scientists.

Diet and exercise reduced the incidence of diabetes by about 43 per

cent over 20 years among 577 high-risk Chinese adults, the

researchers reported in the journal Lancet.

At the end of the 20 years, 80 per cent of those who changed what

they ate and exercised more had diabetes, compared with 93 per cent

who made no changes, said Guangwei Li of the China-Japan Friendship

Hospital in Beijing and Ping Zhang at the U.S. Centre for Disease

Control and Prevention.

The findings came as part of a series of studies addressing new

research about diabetes, which affects 246 million adults worldwide,

and accounts for six per cent of all global deaths.

" The challenge is to translate research findings into substantial

clinical improvements for patients. Although prospects are hopeful,

they are not assured, " the Lancet wrote in a commentary.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 per cent of all diabetes cases

and is closely linked to obesity and physical inactivity. Type 1

diabetes is an auto-immune disease often diagnosed at an early age.

The International Diabetes Federation estimates more than 380 million

people will have a form of diabetes by 2025 as more developing

nations adopt a Western lifestyle.

The researchers followed 577 Chinese adults at risk of diabetes over

a 20-year period to see how prodding people to change their

lifestyles could affect their health.

The volunteers were assigned to either a control group or one of

three groups that included an improved diet, better exercise or a

combination of both.

The researchers did not say what specific foods or amount of exercise

contributed to the health improvements but said the findings provide

an effective strategy to deal with a disease that kills about 3

million people worldwide each year.

" This study has shown that ... group-based interventions targeting

lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise produce a durable and

long-lasting reduction in incidence of type 2 diabetes, " the

researchers wrote.

Another team reported that insulin infusions or multiple daily

injections given early to people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes

helped the body's insulin-producing cells and restored blood sugar

control faster than standard pills.

Too much glucose, or blood sugar, in the blood -- a hallmark of

diabetes -- can damage the eyes and kidneys, and also leads to heart

disease, stroke and limb amputations.

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Carruthers

Wakefield, UK