_{17 July 2012}

NICE guidance on 'preventing type 2 diabetes' released

Preventing type 2 diabetes: risk identification and interventions for individuals at high risk
Public health guidance, PH38 - Issued: July 2012

This guidance is for everyone who is involved identifying people at high risk of type 2 diabetes and in preventing or delaying its onset.

This includes GPs, nurses and other health professionals, as well as commissioners and managers within the NHS, local authorities and the wider public, private, voluntary and community sectors.

It is also for pharmacists, occupational health specialists, optical practitioners,  those involved in the NHS Health Check programme and all those who deliver dietary, physical activity and weight management services.  

In addition, it may be of interest to people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, their families and other members of the public.

The guidance is not advocating a national screening programme for type 2 diabetes, rather the recommendations remind practitioners that age is no barrier to being at high risk of, or developing, type 2 diabetes. The 20 recommendations can be used alongside the NHS Health Check programme.

They cover:

• risk assessment
• risk identification (stages 1 and 2)
• reassessing risk
• matching interventions to risk
• commissioning risk assessment and intensive lifestyle-change programmes
• providing intensive lifestyle-change programmes:
• physical activity:

             –    awareness-raising

             –    providing tailored advice

• weight management and dietary advice
• vulnerable groups
• training and professional development
• metformin
• orlistat

Go to the NICE website to read the full guidance notice.