Efficiency and Cost-effectiveness of a Culturally Adopted Lifestyle Intervention Program - the MEDIM Study.

In this randomized controlled trial, 308 participants (born in Iraq, living in Malmö, Sweden and at high risk of type 2 diabetes) will be allocated to either a culturally adapted intervention or a control group. The intervention will consist of 10 group counseling sessions focusing on diet, physical activity and behavioral change over 6 months, and the offer of exercise sessions. Cultural adaptation includes gender-specific exercise sessions, and counseling by a health coach community member. The control group will receive the information about healthy lifestyle habits provided by the primary health care center. The primary outcome is change in fasting glucose level. Secondary outcomes are changes in body mass index, insulin sensitivity,physical activity, food habits and health-related quality of life. Measurements will be taken at baseline, after 3 and 6 months. Data will be analyzed by the intention-to-treat approach. The cost-effectiveness during the trial period and over the longer term will be assessed by simulation modeling from patient, health care and societal perspectives.

Inclusion criteria

• (1) 30 to 75 years of age
• (2) individuals in the baseline survey diagnosed with prediabetes. OR BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 OR waist >=80 cm in females and >=94cm in males.

Exclusion criteria

• pregnancy, severe mental illness, diabetes, and/or cognitive impairment, current CVD or history of CVD events. CVD includes stroke, angina or myocardial infarction (MI), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), transient ischemic attack (TIA) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) or other physical disorders that prevent physical exercise.