New data show that the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is supporting more people than ever to lose weight and make lifestyle changes. Healthier You is successful in delaying or preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes in people at risk.
The analysis shows that more than 900,000 adults in England have used the programme since its launch in 2016. In 2024, a record 166,360 adults at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes began receiving support from the initiative.
Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition with multiple risk factors, the greatest of which is living with obesity. It is the leading cause of preventable sight loss in people of working age, and is a major contributor to kidney failure, limb amputation, heart attack, nerve damage, stroke and many of the commonest types of cancer. As well as the devastating impact that diabetes can have on people’s health, the NHS spends billions of pounds each year identifying and treating it.
Healthier You is a nine-month, evidence-based lifestyle-change programme. It provides personalised support on healthier eating, maintaining a healthy weight and keeping physically active. Participants can choose either a face-to-face or digital service.
Referrals can be made from primary care, if the eligibility criteria at met. Alternatively, patients can self-register, if they have been identified through a blood test as being at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Research by The University of Manchester found that completing the programme reduces an individual’s chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 37%, and participants achieve an average weight loss of 3.3 kg.
Stemming the rise of type 2 diabetes is an urgent health priority nationally. As an initial step for identifying those who might benefit from the programme, NICE recommends the use in primary care of Diabetes UK’s Know Your Risk tool. This simple, evidence-based system identifies if a person is at low, increased, moderate or high risk of developing type 2 diabetes within the next ten years.
