A new study reveals that people with a high genetic risk for type 2 diabetes can significantly reduce their chances of developing the condition through a healthy diet and regular exercise. The findings suggest that lifestyle changes can be more effective than genetics in determining diabetes risk.
Key Findings:
- Risk Reduction:
A healthy lifestyle lowered the risk of type 2 diabetes by 70% among individuals with a high genetic predisposition to the condition. - Impact on Different Risk Groups:
- For those with high genetic risk, healthy behaviors had a greater impact in reducing diabetes risk compared to those with a low genetic risk.
- In contrast, the lifestyle changes had a statistically insignificant effect on the diabetes risk for individuals with low-risk genetics.
Study Details:
- Participants:
The study involved nearly 1,000 men aged 50 to 75 from eastern Finland. Over 600 of these men received guidance on adopting a healthy lifestyle, while the remaining participants served as a control group. - Genetic Risk Assessment:
Researchers used 76 gene variants known to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes to assess the genetic risk of participants. Importantly, neither the participants nor the researchers knew each individual’s risk group during the study.
Lifestyle Changes and Health Outcomes:
- Diet and Exercise:
Men who received lifestyle counseling improved their diets by eating more fiber, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. They also maintained regular exercise routines and tended to lose weight.- Among the lifestyle counseling group, about 7.7% of low-risk men and 7.9% of high-risk men developed diabetes—showing nearly identical outcomes.
- In the control group, 8.2% of low-risk men developed diabetes compared to 14.1% of high-risk men.
Conclusion:
The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, emphasizes that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed through simple, cost-effective lifestyle changes, particularly for those with a high genetic risk. Lead researcher Maria Lankinen encourages everyone, regardless of genetic risk, to adopt healthy habits to promote overall well-being.