Community approaches to diabetes prevention

Abstract

Preventing type 2 diabetes is a public health challenge that cannot be met by the clinical care sector acting alone. It requires complimentary and shared public health and clinical approaches that together achieve more than each can accomplish unaided (Fig. 12.1). The clinical sector must be involved in assessing patients' risk for type 2 diabetes, discussing risk status with patients and their support network, referring (or encouraging) high-risk patients to participate in proven, communitybased structured lifestyle programs, and, where necessary, prescribing medications for those at risk for and treating those who go on to develop diabetes.