A new study conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University suggests that workplace intervention can help people minimise their risk of diabetes more than people who receive written guidelines.

During the study, a team headed by human nutrition professor Carla Miller, found that people who participated in the workplace intervention program were better able to prevent diabetes than those who just received written health guidelines for diabetes prevention.

As a group that participated in the work intervention program, people lost more weight, showed a reduction in their blood glucose levels and consumed less fat as compared to people who were provided written health guidelines.

The researchers selected the participants based on their blood glucose levels. All of the participants had slightly increased blood sugar levels, a condition that puts a person at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Half of the selected candidates participated in a 16-week long work intervention program which aimed toward reduction in calories and increased weight loss. The other half received regular printing material that described strategies to weight loss. At the end of 16 weeks, the researchers found that the work intervention group has lost 5.5 percent of their body weight. On the other hand, the control group lost less than 0.5 percent of their weight. The work intervention group members also lowered their blood glucose levels by more than double of what was lost by the control group.

"Adults spend a large portion of their time at work. This study shows that it is not only feasible to implement a comprehensive lifestyle intervention at the work site -- it is an effective way to prevent disease," said Miller in a press release.

The complete details of the study have been published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease.

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