New book describes worldwide initiatives to prevent the crisis of obesity and diabetes

World ScientificJul 26 2014

Prediabetes and Diabetes increasingly consume the healthcare community and remain priority areas that require immediate attention.

To address the worldwide crisis of obesity and diabetes, especially impacting low-and middle-income countries, global leaders in diabetes, epidemiology and public health describe current research in diabetes prevention and development of diverse intervention programs in this novel and important text.

This book on "Global Health Perspectives in Prediabetes and Diabetes Prevention" published by World Scientific, is unique in its scope, comprehensively describing worldwide initiatives, and treatment of this critical topic relevant to all sectors comprising the field of global public health.

Prediabetes, characterized by gradually worsening glucose concentrations above defined "normal" levels but falling below absolute threshold values for diabetes, may exist for many years before Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed. As the process evolves insidiously, it is therefore essential to identify individuals at high-risk early so as to prevent the development of diabetes and its complications that may also occur with prediabetes although at a much lower prevalence.

Clinical trials in high-risk individuals have proven the benefit of lifestyle intervention, consisting of weight reduction, dietary modification and exercise, in dramatically reducing progression to diabetes. Translational research studies implementing modified versions of lifestyle interventions from clinical trials have been demonstrated to be effective in real-world settings.

The clinical, government, and public health sectors have critical unique and shared roles and therefore need to create the essential synergies necessary for making substantial forays in the prevention of diabetes.

The editor of the book, Michael Bergman, MD, FACP, Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and Director of the NYU Center for the Prevention of Diabetes at the New York University School of Medicine indicated that "it is the responsibility of the clinical community to reach out to the broader public raising awareness of the current epidemic and importance of lifestyle modification. The clinical sector also has the formidable challenge of screening and identifying those at high-risk and referring to accredited intervention programs. Furthermore, interventions that are customized to meeting individual needs which can be offered at the clinical level are required as well. Government together with the private sector need to set policies that promote healthy nutritional and agricultural policies, favor modifications in the environment that encourage greater physical activity and make prevention affordable for all citizens at high- risk. The public health sector has the charge of translating evidence-based findings into practical, accessible and cost-effective intervention programs and monitoring the process to continuously improve upon prevention initiatives."