A consensus of key opinion leaders on the management of pre-diabetes in the Asia-Pacific Region / Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies

ABSTRACT

@#The Asia-Pacific region carries a high disease burden, with over half of the global diabetic population residing in thisregion. Increasing evidence shows that without targeted intervention, the progression from impaired glucose tolerance(IGT) to type 2 diabetes occurs more frequently in Asians compared with Caucasians. Furthermore, IGT is independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and should be managed as early as possible. Because diabetes is now a major public health issue, strategies aimed at prevention and treatment areurgently required. Lifestyle modification, including weight loss, dietary changes and increased physical activity, play a major role in controlling the disease. Significant evidence also supports the effectiveness of a combination of lifestylemodification and pharmacologic therapy, such as metformin, in delaying the onset of diabetes. Although the importanceof lifestyle interventions is well recognized throughout Asia, many countries do not have formal recommendations to guide the diagnosis and management of individuals at risk of progression to diabetes. At a recent regional meeting,experts from the Asian region convened to develop consensus recommendations to guide clinicians in themanagement of Asian patientswith pre-diabetes. These consensus recommendations provide a clear and conciseapproach to the management of individuals with IGT based on the available evidence and current best clinical practice.