Diabetes prevention: A call to action

Abstract

[...]observational research has consistently shown that 80-90 per cent of all cases of type 2 diabetes result from an unhealthy lifestyle [9],[10] and evidences from randomised controlled trials across diverse countries and populations have shown that the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes in high risk populations can be reduced by up to 60 per cent in those receiving lifestyle interventions aimed at promoting moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, a healthy diet, and weight loss/maintenance [11] , or by over 90 per cent in those achieving all of the prescribed lifestyle goals compared to those achieving none [12],[13],[14] . [...]diabetes prevention pathways that are tailored to national and regional health care systems, need to be developed and evaluated. [...]it has recently been estimated that a 1 per cent decrease in BMI across the whole population would avoid over 2 million new cases of diabetes in the United States within the next 20 years [31] . [...]along with high risk and disease management strategies that remain important as long as the disease is widely prevalent, action is also needed to target population level behaviour and attitudes. [...]a healthy individual may reasonably wonder why their "right" to eat what they like is being infringed by a differential taxation system that targets foods high in saturated fat. [...]as with other serious health conditions and behaviours, concerted and sustained effort is also needed to educate the public and change social norms in order to create the environment that allows for and supports policy change.