A 65-year-old Norfolk woman has become the 2000th volunteer for a research study designed to test whether lifestyle changes can prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

The Norfolk Diabetes Prevention Study (NDPS) aims to screen 10,000 volunteers over two years. Those found to be at risk of developing the disease may then be invited to take part in a three-year intervention programme involving increased activity levels, diet, weight loss and a personal mentor programme.

Mrs Harriet Redmayne, from Barney near Fakenham, volunteered to be screened after receiving a letter via her GP. “My blood results turned out to be fine but it did make me think about whether I could be at risk,” she commented. “I agreed to join the NDPS participant advisory board to give feedback on the programme – if my experience can help others then I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

Programme manager Dr Melanie Dunk said: “We are delighted to welcome our 2,000th volunteer and we are grateful to everyone who has helped us to reach this milestone. However, we have some way to go to meet our target of 10,000 and we hope people will come forward if they meet the criteria (see risk factors, below).

“Many of those we screen are found to have completely normal blood sugar levels but for numerous people this programme could make a real difference.

“We are enlisting the help of Norfolk GPs and pharmacists to identify patients who may be at risk so we can write to them and invite them for screening, either at the NNUH Clinical Research and Trials unit located at the UEA medical school or other venues around Norfolk.”

We wish to include individuals with at least one of the following risk factors for Type 2 diabetes:

• An immediate relative with Type 2 diabetes
• Aged 40 years or older
• Coronary heart disease
• Previously raised blood sugar levels (but not in the diabetes range)
• A BMI (body mass index) of 30 or more (Go to http://www.diabetes.co.uk/bmi.html to check your BMI using an online calculator)

If you are interested in participating in the programme you can register online - visit the website (www.norfolkdiabetespreventionstudy.nhs.uk or call 01603 597300 for a initial assessment)

Notes for editors

• The NDPS study is sponsored by the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and funded by the National Institute for Health Research.

• The aim is to screen 10,000 people in Norfolk at risk of type 2 diabetes with a fasting blood glucose test.

• At-risk volunteers are randomised into three different groups and receive different levels of support. Two of the groups are offered education sessions every eight weeks with physiotherapy-led exercises and advice about increasing activity levels, diet and weight loss. The research team includes a nutritionist, psychologists, physiotherapist, registered nurses and diabetes consultants.

• Some of the participants receive additional support between sessions from Diabetes Prevention Mentors (DPMs) – these are volunteers with Type 2 diabetes who are trained to offer support by telephone.

• A third “control” group is offered a one-off diet and lifestyle education session.

• All the participants – including the control group – will be asked to complete questionnaires and have fasting blood tests at intervals over a period of 40 months.

To find out more about the NDPS programme go to www.norfolkdiabetespreventionstudy.nhs.uk