Is Weight Loss or Physical Activity More Important for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes?

Ever since the US Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) multicenter trial was completed nearly two decades ago (1), we have known that it is possible to prevent, or at least delay, prediabetes (an insulin–resistant state) from progressing into full-blown type 2 diabetes. Why? Diabetes risk was reduced by 58% in the “intensive lifestyle“ (ILS) participant group and by 31% in the metformin (an oral glucose-lowering medication) participants compared to no intervention (“placebo“ group). For 60 years or older participants, lifestyle changes worked much better to prevent diabetes than taking metformin … read more