A new study from the University of Eastern Finland is the first in the world to show that a healthy diet and regular exercise reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes even in individuals with a high genetic risk. In other words, everyone benefits from lifestyle changes, regardless of genetic risk. Type 2 diabetes is a global problem.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, IDF, one in eleven adults worldwide has diabetes, with type 2 diabetes accounting for 90 per cent of the cases. To date, researchers have identified more than 500 genetic variants that predispose individuals to type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle factors, too, affect the risk of developing the disease. Significant lifestyle-related risk factors include overweight, low intake of dietary fibre, high intake of saturated fats, and lack of exercise.
Previous studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be effectively prevented by lifestyle changes, but it has not been explored whether the disease can be prevented even in individuals carrying numerous genetic variants that predispose them to type 2 diabetes. The T2D-GENE Trial was a three-year lifestyle intervention that involved nearly 1,000 men aged 50 to 75 in eastern Finland. All those invited to the study had elevated fasting glucose at baseline.
The lifestyle intervention group included more than 600 men, and the rest served as a control group. Men in the intervention group received guidance on health-promoting lifestyles in group meetings, and they were su.