A Community-based Weight Loss Programme for Chinese Overweight Adults With Pre-diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a major non-communicable disease and one of the world's fastest growing health problem. It is associated with significant morbidity, including increased risk of heart disease and stroke, hypertension, retinopathy and blindness, renal failure and leg amputation, which place an enormous burden on individuals, society and the healthcare system. The T2DM trend in Hong Kong mirrors the global trend. It is a major cause of mortality and morbidity with approximately 700,000 people diagnosed with diabetes, representing 10% of Hong Kong's total population. T2DM is a non-reversible, yet a preventable condition. The onset of T2DM is gradual, with most individuals progressing through a state of pre-diabetes. People with pre-diabetes, defined as having impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or elevated glycated haemoglobulin (HbA1C) , are at increased risk of developing T2DM and its associated complications, such as heart diseases and retinopathy, which can develop even in the absence of progression to overt T2DM. Hence, it is essential that people with pre-diabetes are targeted for early intervention to prevent T2DM and related complications. International clinical trials demonstrated that lifestyle interventions targeting at least 5% weight loss in individuals with pre-diabetes can be cost-effective in preventing T2DM. Lifestyle intervention (which includes diet, physical activity and behavioural modification components) and self-management of pre-diabetes has been listed as an effective means of decreasing the incidence of T2DM in the international guidelines on management of pre-diabetes. The aim of this study is to translate preventive research into effective community-based intervention by setting up a culturally appropriate lifestyle intervention programme for the prevention of T2DM in Hong Kong Chinese adults with pre-diabetes.