Evidence base for the Life! program
Life! Taking Action on Diabetes is an evidence based, behaviour change program that will enable 25 000 Victorians over 50 years of age and at high risk to substantially delay or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
Detailed studies in America, Finland and China have consistently shown that programs which actively support behavioural change (improved nutrition and physical activity) in people with pre-diabetes, can prevent more than half of the expected progression to type 2 diabetes. Based on the success rate of 58% reduced risk experienced in Finland and America, Life! has the potential to prevent up to 12,000 cases of type 2 diabetes over four years.
The intervention centres on the AUSDRISK test; a simple, non-invasive, and reliable tool to identify individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes . The tool shows that for scores of 12–15 approximately one person in every fourteen develops type 2 diabetes within five years, for scores of 16–19 approximately one person in every seven develops type 2 diabetes within five years and for scores of more than 20 approximately one person in every three develops type 2 diabetes within five years. Therefore, patients with a score of 12 or more are at high risk of type 2 diabetes and eligible for referral into a Life! course or Life! telephone health coaching.
Four year results from the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study [pdf 1.1 MB]
Results from the Warrnambool Diabetes Prevention Study (Greater Green Triangle) [pdf 260 KB]
Prevention of type 2 diabetes melitus by changes in lifestyle among subjects with impaired glucose tolerance [pdf 160 KB]
Type 2 Diabetes Prevention in the “Real World” [pdf 88 KB]
The Logan Healthy Living Program: A cluster randomized trial of a telephone-delivered physical activity and dietary behavior intervention for primary care patients with type 2 diabetes or hypertension from a socially disadvantaged community—Rationale, design and recruitment [pdf 588 KB]
Motivational interviewing [pdf 120 KB]
Coaching for behaviour change in chronic disease: A review of the literature and the implications for coaching as a self-management intervention. Helen Lindner, David Menzies, Jill Kelly, Sonya Taylor and Marianne Shearer. Australian Journal of Primary Health. 9(3) 177 - 185 (2003) doi:10.1071/PY03044
More information about health coaching can be found at www.healthcoachingaustralia.com.