Lifestyle Program Cut 21% Multimorbidity Risk Over 20 Years in Prediabetes Study

2 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jun 21

1,173 adults with prediabetes tracked for more than two decades showed a 21% lower risk of developing at least two chronic conditions after a three-year diet-and-exercise program versus placebo.
The benefit extended beyond diabetes prevention: even when diabetes was excluded, the lifestyle group still had lower overall chronic disease risk, while metformin showed little difference from placebo.
Researchers assessed 15 conditions including heart failure, stroke, dementia, cancer and chronic kidney disease, linking the strongest long-term gains to weight loss, healthier eating and regular physical activity.
The findings, published in JAMA from the DPP and DPPOS cohorts, suggest prevention investments can improve healthy aging, though 85% of participants still developed multimorbidity over the study period.