A new Canadian study is drawing attention to the potential benefits of a publicly funded diabetes prevention program for adults with prediabetes.

Researchers from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McGill University modelled an approach based on England’s National Health Service Diabetes Prevention Programme. The study, published September 28 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, examined how such a program could work in Ontario and Quebec.

The researchers estimated that the program would require an initial investment of about $760 per participant in Quebec and $920 in Ontario. Over a 35-year period, preventing or delaying some cases of Type 2 diabetes could generate estimated net healthcare-system savings of approximately $244 per participant in Quebec and $242 in Ontario.

The proposed approach combines dietary guidance and physical-activity support for people with prediabetes. Researchers also noted that any Canadian implementation would need to consider the specific needs of Indigenous communities, including the potential for Indigenous-led prevention programs.

The findings add to discussions about diabetes prevention, public healthcare investment and long-term chronic disease management in Canada.