Established three years ago, The Russell Berrie Diabetes Sphere project, operates more than 60 diabetes programmes across five key areas: prevention, control, treatment, cure, and education. What began as a pilot programme with five local authorities has now expanded to serve 23 Jewish and Arab communities across northern Israel, reaching over 660,000 residents.
Fresh data released from Maccabi Healthcare Services reveals a stunning 40% reduction in the progression from prediabetes to diabetes among project participants. The massive reduction was achieved through simple yet effective interventions, including lifestyle modifications, weight management, and targeted medical approaches.
Director of the Diabetes Sphere project, Professor Naim Shehadeh, explains:
“These preliminary results demonstrate that straightforward interventions – adopting a healthy lifestyle, weight reduction, or using metformin – can dramatically reduce the progression to diabetes”
