RESUMO
Type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly all over the world. Since it develops from an interaction between genes and lifestyle factors, it can also be prevented by influencing its modifiable risk factors. During the last two decades, several well-designed and properly conducted controlled trials have confirmed that lifestyle intervention is highly effective in preventing type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals. Such trials have been carried out in many different populations and living environments - all of them producing similar beneficial effects. Moreover, long-term follow-up of the participants in such trials has revealed that these benefits are sustaining long after the actual intervention has been stopped. It is however likely that different people benefit from different interventions, and this may partly depend on their genetic constellations. The results from these trials must now be applied in the real-life settings in order to stop the pandemic of type 2 diabetes