Healthy Habits Can Delay Diabetes 10 Years

Healthy habits and weight loss can delay diabetes for 10 years in high-risk people, a new study has found. The new study was a follow-up. The first study included 3,234 overweight people. Their blood sugar was above normal, but not as high as in diabetes. They were divided at random into groups. One group took the diabetes drug metformin. Another got placebo pills. The third group got coaching on diet, exercise and weight loss. The third group had the lowest diabetes rates after an average of three years. Then everyone was given access to coaching on diet, exercise and weight loss. The people in the study were followed for 10 years. In that time, differences between groups narrowed. But overall the group first assigned to diet and exercise had a 34% lower risk of diabetes. The metformin group had an 18% lower risk.