Abstract
The metabolic syndrome is a constellation of interrelated risk factors of metabolic origin that appear to directly promote the development of cardiovascular disease. The syndrome is also strongly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus or the risk for this condition. In this article, we propose preventive measures for the metabolic syndrome through reviewing recent clinical studies for diabetes prevention.
Randomized, controlled trials conducted in 3 countries have established that the maintenance of modest weight loss through diet and physical activity reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes in high-risk persons by about 40% to 60% over 3 to 4 years. Drug therapy to prevent or delay diabetes appears to be much less beneficial than lifestyle modification. The Diabetes Prevention Program shows that interventions that prevent diabetes will also reduce the development of the metabolic syndrome. Consequently, lifestyle interventions should be primarily considered for the prevention of the type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
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