A major U.S. health study has confirmed that lifestyle changes and the medication metformin can help prevent type 2 diabetes over the long term. The U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which began in 1996, has now released 21 years of follow-up data showing that the early benefits of these interventions continue even decades later.
The original DPP study enrolled over 3,000 adults who were at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. At the time, the average participant was 51 years old, and nearly half were from racial or ethnic minority groups in the U.S., who are often more affected by diabetes.
The trial compared three groups: one that received an intensive lifestyle program focused on losing weight and increasing physical activity, one that took the drug metformin, and one that received a placebo.
In the first three years, the results were impressive. Those who made lifestyle changes reduced their chances of developing diabetes by 58%, while those on metformin reduced their risk by 31%, both compared to the placebo group.
Now, 21 years later, the results continue to show the power of early intervention. The new findings, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, reveal that the lifestyle group had a 24% lower rate of developing diabetes compared to the placebo group.
The metformin group saw a 17% reduction. Even more importantly, the participants in the lifestyle group went an average of 3.5 years longer without developing diabetes, while those on metformin gained an extra 2.5 diabetes-free years.
These benefits lasted despite the fact that some participants didn’t maintain the same level of lifestyle changes or medication use over the entire 21 years. This suggests that even short-term efforts—especially early in life—can have long-term effects on health.
One of the sites involved in this research is the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It has followed 76 local residents since the beginning of the study, some for nearly 30 years.
Dr. Owen Carmichael, the site leader at Pennington, praised these participants for their dedication, saying their contributions have helped improve medical care not just in Louisiana, but around the world.
This long-term study is important because it proves that simple actions—like losing some weight and getting more exercise—can make a big difference. It also shows that metformin, a commonly used and affordable medication, remains a helpful option for preventing diabetes in those at high risk.
In short, the DPP’s message is clear: early changes matter. Taking steps to improve your health in midlife or even earlier can delay or prevent serious diseases like diabetes for many years. The study also shows the power of long-term research in shaping how we prevent and treat chronic diseases.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about the cooking connection between potatoes and diabetes, and low calorie diets may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
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The research findings can be found in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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