Do the results of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study apply to populations in the United States?
The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study has established a “proof of principle,” that is, it is highly likely that in those at high risk to develop type 2 diabetes in the future, modest lifestyle changes can significantly postpone the onset of actual diabetes. The DPP will definitively answer the question of whether results from the Finnish Study apply to the diverse U.S. population with its different culture and society. The DPP and other ongoing trials will also be able to compare drug treatment with behavioral interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes. For now, perhaps the most important lesson from the Finnish Study is that diabetes may be preventable with modest weight loss and sustained healthful lifestyle changes. In anticipation that the DPP will confirm the Finnish Study results, health agencies should actively consider plans for primary prevention of type 2 diabetes in those at greater risk.
