Lifestyle counseling may help men eat healthier and reduce their risk for diabetes
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- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Group-based lifestyle counseling may help men make healthier food choices and reduce their risk for developing diabetes, according to a study published in September 2025 in the European Journal of Nutrition.
Over a three-year period, approximately 550 men (ages 50 to 75) diagnosed with prediabetes who were also overweight or obese received five to seven group counseling sessions on healthy eating habits. The men also had access to a web portal that provided online materials every month and a discussion platform for participants. A second, control group of 345 otherwise similar men only received one counseling session on healthy lifestyle, at the study’s start.
Frequent questionnaires tracked participants’ eating habits. The men also underwent testing to identify genetic variants associated with an increased risk for diabetes.
Compared with the control group, the men who received counseling and support increased their intake of healthier foods, such as whole grains, berries, vegetables, fish, and plant-based oils. They also reduced their consumption of salty, high-fat foods.
After the researchers adjusted for risk factors like excess weight, smoking, and alcohol consumption, they found that the healthier eating patterns were associated with a 33% lower risk of developing diabetes. Among men who carried the most high-risk genes for diabetes, the impact was even greater: those with improved diets had a 47% lower risk of the disease.
Image: © Albina Gavrilovic/Getty Images
About the Author
Matthew Solan, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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