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A successful lifestyle intervention model replicated in diverse clinical settings


S Mark
S du Toit
TD Noakes
K Nordli
D Coetzee
M Makin
S van der Spuy
J Frey
J Wortman

Abstract

Lifestyle interventions (LIs) can treat metabolic syndrome and prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus, but they remain underutilised in routine practice. In 2010, an LI model was created in a rural primary care practice and spread with few resources to four other rural practices. A retrospective chart review evaluated changes in health indicators in two practice environments by following 372 participants, mainly women (mean age 52  years). Participants had a mean body mass index of 37 kg/m2 at baseline and lost an average of 12% of their initial body weight as a result of the intervention. Among  participants at the first intervention site for whom cardiometabolic data were available, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome decreased from 58% at baseline to 19% at follow-up. Taken as a whole, our experience suggests that LIs are feasible and deliver meaningful results in routine primary care practice.

Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574