Short term efficacy of a lifestyle intervention programme on cardiovascular health outcome in overweight Indigenous Australians with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus: The healthy lifestyle programme (HELP)

We aim to examine the short-term efficacy of a lifestyle intervention programme on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight urban Indigenous Australians with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. One hundred and one urban Indigenous Australians in Queensland voluntarily participated in a culturally appropriate lifestyle intervention programme based on improving physical activity and dietary intake; 44 had type 2 diabetes, 11 had impaired fasting glucose and 46 were euglycaemic. Efficacy of the intervention on biochemical and physical markers of cardiovascular outcome will be monitored over 2 years. Diabetic subjects were overweight with good but suboptimal control of cardiovascular risk factors (mean systolic blood pressure 132 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure 85 mmHg, LDL cholesterol 2.8 mM and urine albumin to creatinine ratio 10.8) at baseline. At the 6 months follow up, there were significant reductions in waist circumference (3.1 cm, P = 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (4.6 mmHg, P = 0.01). Although modest, these changes may improve clinical outcome if sustained.