Workshop Report: Prevention and Early Treatment of NIDDM

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES— Critical scientific and practical questions are whether it is possible to prevent NIDDM and whether early treatment of diabetes is effective. There are three potential strategies that may retard the development of prevention of NIDDM and which are also of importance in the early treatment of NIDDM—control of obesity, preservation of insulin action, and preservation of insulin secretion. The panel stressed the impact of exercise both on the control of obesity and the preservation of insulin action. A structured exercise program such as that conducted in the Zuni community can be made available to an entire community. The importance of community involvement in establishing and sustaining such programs, and the importance of using sound principles of effective behavior modification were recognized.