This project is in collaboration with King's College London and is supported by a BRIDGES Grant from the Global Diabetes Foundation. BRIDGES, a Global Diabetes Foundation project, is supported by an educational grant from Eli Lilly and Company.

A clinic based pilot study to assess risk factors in the development of T2DM and CVD in young persons revealed a high incidence of 4 risk factors namely positive first degree family history, physical inactivity, increased waist and BMI which were statistically significant. This lead to the initiation of a 3 year prospective randomized, population based, controlled study in a group of young urban persons in Sri Lanka between the ages of 5-40 years.

In the first stage the volunteers are screened using a simple questionnaire to assess the presence of risk factors. Anthropometric estimations are performed for all persons. Persons with two or more risk factors are selected for the second stage where a biochemical analysis and lifestyle assessment is made. Participants are sub- divided into either the Control and Study group on a randomised basis. The Study group is subjected to intensive lifestyle modification with 3 monthly reassessments, where as the Control group receives the same advice only annually.

The aim is to assess the development of disease endpoints in the two groups with a view to establishing whether their differences are statistically significant following this process of life style modification.

If successful, it will prove that life style modification without pharmacological intervention starting early in life is a vital low cost Primary Prevention tool and can be used in any country or region to minimise disease.