(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A large trial has indicated positive lifestyle changes lower the risk of developing diabetes among nonsmokers.

A large, 22 clinical center trial called the Mutliple Risk Factor Intervention Trial was conducted to examine the effect of changes in health behaviors on the development of heart disease.

From this trial, a subgroup of 11,827 men was followed to learn whether a program promoting healthy diet and exercise behavior would reduce the development of type 2 diabetes in people without prediabetes. Type 2 diabetes is adult-onset diabetes.

Study participants were assigned to two groups. One group received usual health care. The other group was involved in a special program involving counseling to reduce fat and calorie intake, stop smoking, and increase physical activity. Men in the special program also received more intensive treatment for blood pressure than men in the usual care group. Both groups were followed for six to seven years.

Researchers found similar numbers of men in both groups developed type 2 diabetes. However, nonsmokers who participated in the special program were less likely to develop diabetes than those who received usual care.

The results showed a special program to promote healthy diet and exercise can reduce the development of type 2 diabetes for nonsmokers without prediabetes. For smokers, the study results indicated the need to maintain adequate weight control after stopping smoking.

In an accompanying editorial, a writer calls for a community-wide diabetes prevention program. Jaakko Tuomilehto, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Helsinki in Finland, writes, “Preventing diabetes would require major investment of resources, but the cost of this investment should probably be less than needed to treat the disease and its complications,” the editorial writer states.