Research

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Achieving a weight loss of 5% or more through lifestyle intervention significantly reduces the relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 69% compared to maintaining weight in high-risk individuals.

If you are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, aim to lose at least 5% of your body weight through lifestyle changes. This study found that achieving this specific weight loss target reduced your risk of developing diabetes by 69% compared to those who maintained their weight. This was achieved through an average of 3 counseling visits over a year focusing on diet and exercise.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The relative risk of diabetes was only 0.31 (95% CI 0.16 – 0.59), which translates to 69% risk reduction in the group who lost ≥5% weight compared with the group who maintained weight.
Timo Saaristo et al. · Diabetes Care · 2010

Why this rating

Large-scale observational cohort within a national program (n=2,798), though not a randomized controlled trial, shows strong dose-response relationship.

Source

Lifestyle Intervention for Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Health Care

Timo Saaristo et al. · Diabetes Care · 2010

DOI 10.2337/dc10-0410

cohort · n=10149Cited 299×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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