The All-Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme (AWDPP) is successfully preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes, according to an evaluation report released today by Public Health Wales.
Currently, more than 220,000 people in Wales live with diabetes, predominantly type 2 diabetes – a long-term condition that can reduce quality of life and shorten lifespans. Without interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes, projections indicate that by 2035, one in 11 adults in Wales will develop type 2 diabetes.
The All Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme is an innovative, short intervention which provides support and advice to those who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The programme supports people at higher risk of type 2 diabetes to make changes to their diet and to be more physically active.
People are identified as being at risk through a blood test, which measures a person’s average blood sugar (glucose) levels over the last two to three months.
Eligible people in areas where the programme is being rolled out are referred to a trained healthcare support worker who will talk to them about what they can do to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They can also be referred to additional sources of support.
Funded by Welsh Government, the national programme was launched by health boards in 2022 and has been offered to over 10,000 people across Wales.
Positive Results Helping People across Wales
An evaluation of the programme, led by Public Health Wales, provides evidence of the programme’s effectiveness, showing that the risk of progressing to living with diabetic blood glucose levels was reduced by 23 per cent among those who were identified as having pre-diabetes and took part in the diabetes prevention programme.
Expanding Access to Meet National Need
The programme currently operates in 35 out of 60 primary care clusters across Wales. However, to maximise impact and ensure health equity across the nation, sustained investment is needed to expand this successful model to all regions of Wales.
Delivered locally in primary care by dedicated teams of trained healthcare support workers and dietitians, participants receive personalised support with making dietary changes, increasing physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight – interventions proven to prevent diabetes progression.
Dr Sarah Davies, GP in Cardiff and Primary Care lead for Diabetes in Wales said:
“Type 2 diabetes is a devastating condition that can severely impact both quality and length of life. This report confirms that providing this type of timely support helps people make modest yet meaningful changes to diet and physical activity, which can prevent or delay the progression to diabetes.
“I wholeheartedly support making this intervention available to everybody in Wales who needs to receive it, as the benefits are clear to see.”
Alisha Davies, Head of Research and Evaluation at Public Health Wales, highlighted the significance of the findings:
“The evaluation shows us that the diabetes prevention programme is effective in stalling and reducing progression to diabetic blood glucose levels. The programme is making a valuable contribution to preventing diabetes in Wales.
“Continuing to capture the benefits to patients through robust monitoring and evaluation will help us to understand its sustained impact over time on an important preventable disease in Wales.”
Access Information
To access the face-to-face All-Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme, speak to your GP who can refer you if you’re at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, where the service is currently available.
For more information on the All-Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme: All Wales Diabetes Prevention Programme – Public Health Wales
