title: Preventing Diabetes: Early Versus Late Preventive Interventions.
abstract: There are a number of arguments in support of early measures for the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D), as well as for concepts and strategies at later intervention stages. Diabetes prevention is achievable when implemented in a sustainable manner. Sustainability within a T2D prevention program is more important than the actual point in time or disease process at which prevention activities may start. The quality of intervention, as well as its intensity, should vary with the degree of the identified T2D risk. Nevertheless, preventive interventions should start as early as possible in order to allow a wide variety of relatively low- and moderate-intensity programs. The later the disease risk is identified, the more intensive the intervention should be. Public health interventions for diabetes prevention represent an optimal model for early intervention. Late interventions will be targeted at people who already have significant pathophysiological derangements that can be considered steps leading to the development of T2D. These derangements may be difficult to reverse, but the worsening of dysglycemia may be halted, and thus the clinical onset of T2D can be delayed.
authors.affiliation: Dasman Diabetes Institute, Dasman, Kuwait Chronic Disease Prevention Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland Center for Vascular Prevention, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria Saudi Diabetes Research Group, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia jaakko.tuomilehto@dasmaninstitute.org.
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuomilehto
authors.affiliation: Department for Prevention and Care of Diabetes, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany German Center for Diabetes Research, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter E H
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D061345:Early Medical Intervention / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors