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Benefit of lifestyle-based T2DM prevention is influenced by prediabetes phenotype

Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume 16, pages 395–400 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

The prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a target priority for the WHO and the United Nations and is a key priority in the 2018 Berlin Declaration, which is a global call for early actions related to T2DM. Health-care policies advocate that individuals at high risk of developing T2DM undertake lifestyle modification, irrespective of whether the prediabetes phenotype is defined by hyperglycaemia in the postprandial state (impaired glucose tolerance) and/or fasting state (impaired fasting glucose) or by intermediate HbA1c levels. However, current evidence indicates that diabetes prevention programmes based on lifestyle change have not been successful in preventing T2DM in individuals with isolated impaired fasting glucose. We propose that further research is needed to identify effective lifestyle interventions for individuals with isolated impaired fasting glucose. Furthermore, we call for the identification of innovative approaches that better identify people with impaired glucose tolerance, who benefit from the currently available lifestyle-based diabetes prevention programmes.

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Fig. 1: Distinct pathophysiological profiles of prediabetes phenotypes.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Matthew D. Campbell, Thirunavukkarasu Sathish.

  2. These authors jointly supervised this work: Jonathan E. Shaw, Robyn J. Tapp.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Matthew D. Campbell

  2. Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Matthew D. Campbell

  3. School of Food Science and Bioengineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China

    Matthew D. Campbell

  4. Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Thirunavukkarasu Sathish

  5. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Thirunavukkarasu Sathish, Brian Oldenburg & Robyn J. Tapp

  6. Centre for Population Health Sciences, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Thirunavukkarasu Sathish

  7. Department of Diabetes, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia

    Paul Z. Zimmet

  8. Central University of Kerala at Kasargod, Kerala, India

    Kavumpurathu R. Thankappan

  9. WHO Collaborating Centre on Implementation Research for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Brian Oldenburg

  10. Diabetes Research Unit Cymru, Swansea University, Swansea, UK

    David R. Owens

  11. Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Jonathan E. Shaw

  12. Population Health Research Institute, St George’s, University of London, London, UK

    Robyn J. Tapp

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Contributions

R.J.T., M.D.C. and T.S. researched data for the article and wrote the article. R.J.T., M.D.C., T.S., K.R.T., P.Z.Z., B.O., D.R.O. and J.E.S. contributed substantially to discussion of the content. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Robyn J. Tapp.

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Campbell, M.D., Sathish, T., Zimmet, P.Z. et al. Benefit of lifestyle-based T2DM prevention is influenced by prediabetes phenotype. Nat Rev Endocrinol 16, 395–400 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-019-0316-1

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