The first study in the world, conducted recently at the University of Eastern Finland, demonstrates that even in those with a high hereditary risk, type 2 diabetes may be prevented with a balanced diet and frequent exercise. Put another way, regardless of hereditary risk, everyone gains from changing their lifestyle.
Their findings were published in the journal JCEM.
Diabetes type 2 is an international issue. Ninety percent of instances of diabetes globally are type 2 diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation, or IDF. One in eleven persons worldwide suffer from diabetes. More than 500 genetic variations have been found by researchers to predispose people to type 2 diabetes; however, lifestyle variables also influence an individual’s chance of contracting the condition. Obesity, poor dietary fibre consumption, high saturated fat intake, and inactivity are significant lifestyle-related risk factors. It has been demonstrated in earlier research that lifestyle modifications can successfully prevent type 2 diabetes; however, it has not been investigated if this is also the case for those who possess many genetic variations that predispose them to the condition.
In the three years of the T2D-GENE Trial, about 1,000 men in eastern Finland, ages 50 to 75, participated in a lifestyle intervention. At baseline, the fasting glucose levels of every participant in the trial were high. More than 600 men participated in the lifestyle intervention group, with the remaining men acting as the control group. In addition to receiving assistance from a web portal created especially for the research, men in the intervention group also got advice on healthy lives during group sessions. Individuals recruited to participate in the study fell into one of two tertiles based on their genetic risk: either they had a low or high risk of type 2 diabetes.
Based on 76 gene variations known to predispose to type 2 diabetes, genetic risk was calculated. Neither the study participants nor the researchers were aware of the individuals’ genetic risk category during the intervention. The identical lifestyle advice was given to each intervention participant.
Males who took part in the lifestyle intervention saw a notable improvement in the standard of their food. They ate more fruits, vegetables, and berries; they also boosted their intake of dietary fibre and enhanced the quality of the lipids in their diet. Despite the fact that this was not a weight loss trial, weight loss was also noted. The individuals had excellent exercise habits going into the trial, and they were already quite physically active at baseline. These adjustments were able to slow down the degradation of glucose metabolism. Compared to the control group, the group that underwent lifestyle intervention had a considerably decreased prevalence of type 2 diabetes. For each person, the impacts of modifying their lifestyle were considerable regardless of their genetic risk level low or high.
These findings encourage everyone to make lifestyle changes that promote health. Furthermore, they demonstrate the effectiveness of group- and internet-based lifestyle guidance, which saves healthcare resources.
Maria Lankinen
Source: University of Eastern Finland – News
Journal Reference: Lankinen, Maria A., et al. “Effects of Genetic Risk on Incident Type 2 Diabetes and Glycemia: The T2D-GENE Lifestyle Intervention Trial.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgae422.
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