Lifestyle Intervention for Diabetes More Cost-Effective Than Drugs

Using diet and exercise to tackle type 2 diabetes is more cost-effective than using medications, according to a new study published in Diabetes Care. Lifestyle intervention reduced diabetes incidence by 58 percent, compared with 31 percent in the intervention group taking metformin—a drug for diabetes. Not only did lifestyle intervention provide better results, but it was cheaper long-term. The 10-year study of people at high risk for developing diabetes found lifestyle intervention was cost-effective and metformin just slightly cost-saving.