LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN REDUCE DIABETES RISK
Date: October 30, 2009

Hawaii study prinicpal investigator Dr. Richard Arakaki The University of Hawai‘i Center of the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS) has 55 participants who have been in a ten year trial. Results, reported in the prestigious British medical journal THE LANCET , show lifestyle changes can reduce the rate of diabetes.



Authors of the THE LANCET article include Dr. Marjorie Mau, Professor with the Department of Native Hawaiian Health and Dr. Richard Arakaki, the principal investigator for the study at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM).

“It’s a remarkable and landmark study that has tremendous public health implications and shows dedication and commitment by the volunteers,” said Dr. Arakaki, with JABSOM’s Department of Medicine.

“In our Center, 75% of the study group members are Asians and Pacific Islanders and many are over the age of 60 years,” said Dr. Arakaki. “The DPPOS is a study that is quite ‘inclusive’, having representation of nearly all ethnic groups as well as older Americans.”

The findings of the Hawai‘i study, are, over 10-years:

• A reduction in the rate of diabetes by 34% with lifestyle modification
• A reduction in the rate of diabetes by 18% in the group treated with metformin (an oral anti-diabetic medicine that decreases glucose production by the liver and lowers plasma glucose levels.)

“These outcomes apply to the predominantly non-white and older population of Hawai‘i,” said Dr. Arakaki, an endocrinologist. “Since Hawai‘i has a high diabetes prevalence and higher risk population (minority groups and older residents), the findings of the DPPOS should translate to a major public health focus,” said Dr. Arakaki.

Noting that there is a public cost to diabetes, and a public benefit from reducing the impact of the disease, Dr. Arakaki added, “Once people develop diabetes, it is difficult and costly to treat, and leads to a large economic and health burden for our State.”

The Hawai‘i residents in the study included 25 men and 30 women. They included 25 people from Asian backgrounds, 21 from Native Hawaiian or Pacific Island backgrounds and nine Caucasians.