A large-scale government-sponsored study is now under way to determine whether it is possible to prevent or delay the progression to diabetes in people who have impaired glucose tolerance. After screening more than 158,000 individuals, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) enrolled 3,234 individuals who have impaired glucose tolerance and a wide variety of age, obesity, and ethnic/racial characteristics that put them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

The study participants are divided into 3 groups - 2 active groups and a control. The active groups will receive either:

1. Intensive lifestyle intervention, including 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity exercise and a healthy diet designed to achieve and maintain at least a 7% loss of body weight, or
2. Administration of the anti-diabetes medication metformin, 850 mg twice a day.

The results in these two groups will be compared with those from a third group given standard lifestyle recommendations and placebo. Baseline characteristics of the participants, published in November 2000, include 27% with hypertension and high cholesterol levels in 37% of men and 33% of women. The mean age is 50.6 years, with the majority being between the ages of 40 and 59. They represent a broad ethnic spectrum: 54.7% Caucasian, 19.9% African-American, 15.7% Hispanic, 5.3% American Indian, and 4.4% Asian-American.

The study is under way at 27 centers in the US. The research is funded by a number of government agencies through the NIDDK at NIH, the American Diabetes Association, with contributions from two pharmaceutical companies. We'll bring you results as soon as information becomes available.