Behavioral intervention as a treatment approach for diabetes and associated cardiovascular disease may lead to long-lasting results at a lower cost, according to a review paper published March 3 in The American Journal of Managed Care.

The article, by Hena N. Patel, MD; Andrew M. Freeman, MD, FACC; and Kim Allan Williams Sr., MD, MACC, reviewed the results from 10 studies conducted between 1997 and 2013 on the impact diabetes self-management has on overall diabetes care. Researchers focused on four types of individual behavior change: nutrition, meditation, physical activity and lifestyle programs.

They conclude that the magnitude of the behavioral diabetes research is impressive, but explain that moving forward, more work is still needed to determine the optimal approach to diabetes management.

“Now is the time for the medical community, as a whole, to become aware of this approach and review the research that has often been ignored despite excellent results,” they add. “While implementation is the major barrier, along with patient compliance and uptake, the time and effort required leads to lasting results…”

Keywords: Behavior Therapy, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, Exercise, Life Style, Managed Care Programs, Patient Compliance, Research, Research Personnel, Self Care

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