The U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program shows that lasting change starts with habits, not just weight loss.
Twenty-one years after its launch, the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program remains a landmark study. The latest results are in: people with prediabetes who made intensive lifestyle changes reduced their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent—nearly twice as effective as metformin, which lowered risk by 31 percent. And the benefits lasted more than two decades.
Despite these impressive results, the program’s emphasis on weight loss through fat and calorie restriction reflects an outdated view of metabolic health. Today, it’s clear that blood sugar regulation involves far more than just cutting calories. So what other lifestyle interventions might offer even greater benefits?
The Landmark Clinical Trial
In the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program trial, participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: an Intensive Lifestyle Intervention, metformin (850 milligrams twice daily), or a placebo group.
