title: Lifestyle interventions are cost-effective in people with different levels of diabetes risk: results from a modeling study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the current study we explore the long-term health benefits and cost-effectiveness of both a community-based lifestyle program for the general population (community intervention) and an intensive lifestyle intervention for obese adults, implemented in a health care setting (health care intervention).
  
  
  METHODS
  Short-term intervention effects on BMI and physical activity were estimated from the international literature. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Chronic Diseases Model was used to project lifetime health effects and effects on health care costs for minimum and maximum estimates of short-term intervention effects. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated from a health care perspective and included intervention costs and related and unrelated medical costs. Effects and costs were discounted at 1.5 and 4.0% annually.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One new case of diabetes per 20 years was prevented for every 7-30 participants in the health care intervention and for every 300-1,500 adults in the community intervention. Intervention costs needed to prevent one new case of diabetes (per 20 years) were lower for the community intervention (2,000-9,000 euros) than for the health care intervention (5,000-21,000 euros). The cost-effectiveness ratios were 3,100-3,900 euros per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) for the community intervention and 3,900-5,500 euros per QALY for the health care intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health care interventions for high-risk groups and community-based lifestyle interventions targeted to the general population (low risk) are both cost-effective ways of curbing the growing burden of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Department of Prevention and Health Services Research, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, Netherlands. monique.jacobs@rivm.nl
authors.forename: Monique A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jacobs-van der Bruggen
authors.forename: Griët
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Wanda J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bemelmans
authors.forename: Rudolf T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hoogenveen
authors.forename: Sylvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Vijgen
authors.forename: Caroline A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Baan
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology