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Lifestyle program reduced risk for type 2 diabetes in adolescents
The Yale Bright Bodies program was an effective approach to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes in obese adolescents with elevated 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test levels, according to study data published in Diabetes Care.
After 6 months, the family-based lifestyle intervention program significantly decreased the glucose levels of children at high risk for developing diabetes, according to Mary Savoye, RD, CD-N, CDE, associate director of the pediatric obesity section and director of the Bright Bodies weight-management program at Yale University School of Medicine, and colleagues.
“Early use of lifestyle interventions to limit future weight gain and improve glucose tolerance is a nonpharmacological treatment approach that is free from serious side effects,” researchers wrote.
Savoye and colleagues compared children enrolled in the Bright Bodies program with standard clinical care in obese adolescents (aged 10-16 years; Tanner stage >3) with an elevated OGTT 2-hour blood glucose (130 mg/dL-199 mg/dL) from a racially/ethnically diverse population, according to data.
Children in the Bright Bodies program demonstrated a 17.1-mg/dL reduction in 2-hour glucose compared with standard care (–27.2 mg/dL vs. –10.1. mg/dL; P=.005).
The researchers also observed a greater conversion to <130 mg/dL with 2-hour glucose in Bright Bodies vs. standard care (P=.003), according to data.
At the end of the study, 42% of patients in the Bright Bodies group had a 2-hour glucose level of <120 mg/dL vs. 7% of those in the standard care group (P=.003), researchers wrote.
There also were significantly greater improvements to systolic blood pressure in the Bright Bodies group compared with the standard care group (difference: –5.5 mm Hg; P=.005) and fasting triglycerides (–24 mg/dL; P=.005). However, there were no significant changes to diastolic BP, cholesterol or alanine transaminase levels.
Glucose and insulin outcomes also were significantly higher in the Bright Bodies program patients vs. standard care patients, according to researchers.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.