Prediabetes Raises the Risk of All-Cause Mortality, and Diabetes-Related Conditions

The CDC estimates that 96 million American adults have prediabetes. And most persons with prediabetes don't know that they have the condition. The CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program study that took place between 1996 and 2002 showed that lifestyle intervention can reduce the risk of progression from prediabetes to diabetes by 58% compared to people with prediabetes who were receiving usual care. And a recent study suggests that prediabetes raises the risk of all-cause mortality, comorbidities and complications.

The study was carried out by analyzing the results from different meta-analyses to determine how prediabetes is related to new cases of complications typically associated with diabetes. The researchers studied 4807 articles containing prediabetes-related meta-analyses. And the researchers narrowed the number of articles that fit the selection criteria to 16 articles, from which 95 meta-analyses were chosen.

The researchers concluded that “Prediabetes was associated with a higher relative risk of all-cause mortality and higher incidences of CV [cardiovascular] events, CHD [coronary heart disease], stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, total cancer, liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer and all-cause dementia with moderate certainty of evidence."

The researchers indicated that the incidence of the comorbidities and complications was lower for prediabetes than type 2 diabetes "suggesting a dose–response gradient in the relationship with complications."

The meta-analyses study highlights the importance of addressing prediabetes. We know that prediabetes raises the risk of diabetes. But the study shows that prediabetes raises the risk of other diseases. Therefore, healthcare providers should counsel at-risk prediabetes patients. They should work with the patients, if appropriate, to get the patients into a diabetes prevention program.

These programs can delay or prevent diabetes which could increase the lifespan of a person with prediabetes. Delaying or preventing diabetes can not only increase a person’s lifespan, it can also lower the person’s healthcare costs.

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Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis, prediabetes

Diet and Exercise for Osteoarthritis Delivered Via Telehealth

Exercise and diet intervention delivered via telehealth can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis can result from wear and tear on your joints, and the wear and tear may be a consequence of a number of  conditions, including injuries, age or obesity. Weight loss, resulting from diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes, may improve osteoarthritis symptoms. And the intervention can be delivered online.

In one study, the researchers concluded that "Telehealth-delivered exercise and diet programs improved pain and function in people with knee osteoarthritis and overweight or obesity." Being able to treat osteoarthritis via telehealth may give more people access to treatment. This is significant, since osteoarthritis is such a serious condition, especially for persons who are obese.

A past study concluded that "obese individuals have significantly more severe joint degeneration in the knees compared with normal weight or underweight individuals." Furthermore, the investigators indicated that "Weight loss can prevent onset of osteoarthritis, relieve symptoms, improve function and increase quality of life."

In another study, the effectiveness of weight loss in the treatment of osteoarthritis was further confirmed. In the study, where 380 overweight men and women were investigated in a ninety-six month analysis, the researchers determined that "cartilage degeneration was significantly lower among people who lost weight through diet and exercise or diet alone." It should be noted, however, that "weight loss through exercise alone showed no significant difference in cartilage degeneration..."

There is evidence that  obesity is a risk factor for  total knee replacement (TKR) caused by osteoarthritis. And in one study, investigators looked at the effects of intentional weight loss on total knee replacement caused by osteoarthritis. Using intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) methods, the investigators concluded that engaging in "physical activity, dietary restrictions and behavior to lose weight may be "effective in preventing TKR prior to the development of knee pain."

So, weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight can be beneficial in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Healthcare providers should use this evidence-based information in counseling sessions. The providers can advise patients that weight loss through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes can improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. The providers should also emphasize that the intervention can be delivered via telehealth.

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Tags: environmental scanning, balanced scorecard, business planning, strategic management, bariatric medicine, obesity medicine, medical practice start up, bariatric industry analysis, weight loss industry analysis, weight management industry analysis