• Posted June 16, 2026

Lifestyle Changes Can Reduce Your Risk For Multiple Chronic Diseases

Diet and exercise may be more powerful than a popular diabetes medication when it comes to preventing chronic diseases.

Researchers followed more than 1,100 adults who took part in a landmark Diabetes Prevention Program launched in the 1990s.

They tracked the development of 15 chronic conditions over two decades, including heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, arthritis and dementia.

The participants were randomly assigned to a lifestyle program that included moderate-intensity exercise and nutritional changes, metformin or a placebo.

Over 21 years of follow-up, people in the lifestyle group were about 20% less likely to develop multiple chronic diseases compared to those in the placebo group.

The drug metformin did not provide the same long-term benefit, according to the results.

Dr. Shirin Jaggi is an endocrinologist at Northwell North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Manhasset, New York. She says the results show that the benefits of lifestyle changes extend far beyond diabetes prevention.

"For me to be able to speak to my patients and tell them that it’s not just a pill that I need to give to you, your lifestyle choices are going to make a big difference for your present and not just your future, I think that’s amazing," she said.

Jaggi recommends folks make lifestyle changes gradually, starting with manageable exercise goals and building up over time.

She also emphasizes a healthy, balanced diet that can be sustained long term rather than a quick fix.

The findings were published June 15 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

More information

The National Institutes of Health has more on the importance of diet and exercise.

SOURCE: HealthDay TV, June 16, 2026