Faith-Based Lifestyle Intervention for Diabetes Prevention Among Adults in Bangladesh: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors' conclusion
In this cluster RCT involving adults with prediabetes, a culturally adapted, mosque-based lifestyle intervention significantly reduced T2D incidence over 12 months in rural Bangladesh. These results demonstrate the potential for scalable and cost-effective diabetes prevention programs in low-resource, Muslim-majority communities.
Study context
- Population
- Adults aged 25–65 years with prediabetes (WHO criteria) in rural Bangladesh, 5 districts; mean age 46.2 years, 53.1% women641 analysed
- Participants
- 799 adults
- Comparison
- Mosque-based, faith-integrated lifestyle intervention vs usual care
- Interventionn = 341
- Controln = 300reference
- Primary endpoint
- Cumulative incidence of T2D
- Follow-up
- 12 months
Methodological detailsparallel-group, cluster randomized, 8 rural mosque clusters
- Parallel-group
- Cluster randomized
- 8 rural mosque clusters
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Cumulative T2D incidence
Intervention vs ControlHazard ratio (95% CI)P value
Cox regression adjusted for clustering
0.75(0.60–0.95)
P = 0.02- Lower with Intervention
- absolute risk reduction 7.3 percentage points (95% CI 5.2–10.6)
- Lower with Intervention
- relative risk reduction 42.5% (95% CI 15.0%–70.0%)
- Cumulative T2D incidence
- NNT 14 (95% CI 9–39)
Secondary outcomes
Weight, body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, 2-h glucose, HbA1c, lipids, diabetes knowledge, physical activity, quality of life
- Improved significantly more with Intervention vs Control
Original publication
Faith-Based Lifestyle Intervention for Diabetes Prevention Among Adults in Bangladesh: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. Published 1 October 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →