For diabetes prevention, lifestyle changes more effective than drugs

In the long run, lifestyle modification is better at preventing diabetes among high-risk individuals than medications, according to a study by Dr. Karla Galaviz, assistant professor of global health. Among lifestyle modification interventions, combined diet and physical activity modification achieved the largest risk reductions. For medications, weight loss and insulin-sensitizing agents achieved the largest risk reductions. However, after the intervention was stopped, the effect of medications was short lived, whereas the effect of lifestyle modification was sustained for several years.

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"Lifestyle changes more effective than drugs for diabetes prevention long-term, study finds" (Press Release, 11/7/17)