Half as many new diabetes cases
- Published in
- NEJM 2001
- People studied
- 522
In a Finnish trial of 522 adults with overweight and raised blood sugar, 11% in a lifestyle programme developed type 2 diabetes within 4 years, against 23% in the control group.
- Checked against
- PubMed 11333990
- Published in
- NEJM 2001
- Last checked
- 30 October 2026
Key takeaway
The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study randomised 522 middle-aged adults with overweight and impaired glucose tolerance, a stage before diabetes, to personal counselling on weight, diet and activity or to a control group. The programme group lost about 4.2 kg in the first year, against 0.8 kg. Over the trial, their risk of type 2 diabetes was 58% lower.
At a glance
- Type of study
- randomised trial (Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study)
- People studied
- 522
- How long
- about 3 years (average 3.2)
- Compared with
- a control group
- Main result
- 58% lower risk of type 2 diabetes over about 3 years.
- Strength of evidence
- Randomised trials
What this study does not show
Weight loss was modest and the programme also changed diet and activity, so the effect cannot be put down to weight alone. All participants were middle-aged Finns already at high risk.
Results from studies in groups of people, mostly in diet and movement programmes. They cannot be promised to any one person. This information is educational and does not replace a consultation with a doctor.
More on metabolism
- Lower diabetes risk with each kiloLong-term or observational studies · Hamman et al., Diabetes Care 2006
- Better insulin responseSmall or uncontrolled studies · Magkos et al., Cell Metab 2016
- Half as many new diabetes casesRandomised trials · Tuomilehto et al., NEJM 2001
- More than 5% for clearer blood sugar gainsRandomised trials · Franz et al., J Acad Nutr Diet 2015
- More diabetes remission with fewer caloriesRandomised trials · Jayedi et al., Am J Clin Nutr 2023
- Remission of type 2 diabetes at 2 yearsRandomised trials · Lean et al., Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2019
- Fewer new cases of type 2 diabetesRandomised trials · Ruiz-Canela et al., Ann Intern Med 2025
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