What is the evidence behind the program?

CDPP was developed and based on scientific evidence, to ensure we created a program we know will work for Canadians. The CDPP is modelled after a tested approach, the American-led National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) supported by the CDC4.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program—or National DPP—was created in 2010 to address the increasing burden of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in the United States. Since the launch of the program, there have been many publications on the effectiveness and long-term benefit of the National DPP on reducing type 2 diabetes (see list of references below). The DPP has been established as a proven methodology to prevent type 2 diabetes.

How Do We Know It Works?

A major multi-center clinical study of the DPP demonstrated the effectiveness of the DPP methodology on achieving positive health outcomes among its participants with an impactful reduction in developing type 2 diabetes in one year. The DPP is based on the underlying theory of a weight loss and physical activity focus within a defined population – due to their relationship with insulin resistance – in order to reduce the progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.

What have been the impact of DPP on participants? (see references in the Further reading section below)

 

  • 58% reduction in developing type 2 diabetes following the one year of intervention

  • 3.96 year delay of type 2 diabetes onset, compared to control

  • Increase of 4.82 years in median survival and a mean increase of 1.44 years in life expectancy:

    • fewer cardiovascular disease events,

    • a lower incidence of microvascular complications,

    • fewer cardiovascular disease deaths and fewer all-cause deaths

Further reading

1. The long-term effect of lifestyle interventions to prevent diabetes in the China Da Qing Diabetes Prevention Study: a 20-year follow-up study.” Lancet. (2008) Volume 371, Issue 9626, 24–30, Pages 1783-1789

2. Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. “Long-term effects of Lifestyle Intervention or metformin on diabetes development and microvascular complications over 15-year follow up.” Lancet. (2015): 3(11): 866-875.

3. Diabetes 360º: A Framework for a Diabetes Strategy for Canada Recommendations for Governments, July 2018 https://www.diabetes.ca/DiabetesCanadaWebsite/media/Advocacy-and-Policy/Diabetes-360-Recommendations.pdf

4. American Diabetes Association. Press release: New Data from Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study Shows Persistent Reduction of Type 2 Diabetes Development Over 22-Year Average Follow-Up https://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2020/new-data-from-diabetes-prevention-program-outcomes-study-shows-persistent-reduction-of-t2d-development-over-22-year-average-follow-up

5. CDC. National Diabetes Prevention Program https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/pdf/NDPP_Infographic.pdf