A groundbreaking study from the University of Eastern Finland has shown that a healthy diet and regular exercise can prevent type 2 diabetes, even in people with a high genetic risk for the disease.
This is the first study in the world to demonstrate that everyone can benefit from lifestyle changes, regardless of their genetic risk.
Type 2 diabetes is a major health problem worldwide. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 1 in 11 adults globally has diabetes, and 90% of these cases are type 2 diabetes.
Scientists have identified over 500 genetic variants that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, lifestyle factors like being overweight, eating a diet low in fiber and high in saturated fats, and not getting enough exercise also play a significant role.
The T2D-GENE Trial was a three-year study involving nearly 1,000 men aged 50 to 75 in eastern Finland.
All participants had high fasting glucose levels at the start of the study, indicating a risk for diabetes. The study included over 600 men in the lifestyle intervention group, with the rest serving as a control group.
The results were published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Men in the lifestyle intervention group attended group meetings where they received guidance on healthy living.
They also had access to a web portal designed to support their lifestyle changes. The participants were divided into groups based on their genetic risk for type 2 diabetes, but neither the participants nor the researchers knew who belonged to which group during the study.
The lifestyle intervention encouraged participants to eat more dietary fiber, improve the quality of fats in their diet, and increase their consumption of vegetables, fruits, and berries. Although the study did not focus on weight loss, many participants lost weight.
The men were already physically active at the start of the study and continued their good exercise habits throughout.
The study found that the men who participated in the lifestyle intervention significantly improved their diet and maintained their physical activity.
As a result, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was much lower in the lifestyle intervention group compared to the control group. Importantly, the benefits of lifestyle changes were equally significant for individuals with both low and high genetic risk.
“These findings encourage everyone to make lifestyle changes that promote health,” says University Lecturer and Docent Maria Lankinen of the University of Eastern Finland, the first author of the study.
“Furthermore, they demonstrate the effectiveness of group- and internet-based lifestyle guidance, which saves health care resources.”
In summary, this study shows that making simple changes to your diet and exercise habits can significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even if you have a high genetic risk. So, everyone can benefit from adopting a healthier lifestyle.
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