Life Style Interventions to Prevent and Control Type 2 Diabetes

At global level, presently 150 million people are detected to be diabetic and this number is predicted to double by 2025. In India, the prevalence of diabetes in adults varies from 2.4% in rural area to 11.6% in urban dwellers, with further expected rise in prevalence in the coming decades.

To conduct a literature review of lifestyle interventions - dietary modifications, physical activity and yoga therapy- intended to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes and to control known diabetes.

The literature review design was a search for databases for publications in 1990- 2006 that identified reports on lifestyle interventions designed to prevent or modify risk factors and to control type 2 diabetes.

Studies, conducted in diverse countries, settings, and populations, confirm that effective lifestyle intervention can prevent or delay the progression to type 2 diabetes in groups at high risk, such as overweight people with impaired glucose tolerance, maintenance of modest weight loss and reduced risk of diabetes (P < 0.001).

Adoption of healthy lifestyles(dietary modifications, physical activity and yoga) are important for primordial prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.