HHS HealthBeat (November 07, 2008)

The 20-year benefit

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Impaired glucose tolerance – blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not as bad as diabetes – is a sign that diabetes could develop. So it’s wise to use diet and exercise to keep those blood sugar levels from getting worse.

But will the benefits last? A look at people in China with impaired glucose tolerance indicates the answer is yes.

Ping Zhang of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and colleagues from China followed people in a six-year diet and physical activity program for 20 years. They found people in the program had a lower risk of developing diabetes over those six years, and 14 years more.

His conclusion:

``Lifestyle intervention can prevent or delay diabetes by up to 43 percent for up to 20 years.’’ (7 seconds)

The study was in a British journal, The Lancet.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November, 07 2008