Interventions to Prevent Diabetes in Latin America: A Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND More than 40 million people living in Latin America have been diagnosed with diabetes, and this number is expected to increase. As the risk of diabetes and diabetes mortality increases, diabetes interventions tailored specifically for individuals in Latin America are essential. PURPOSE To identify components of diabetes interventions that effectively reduce diabetes risk to inform interventions for Latin American populations. DATA SOURCES Systematic review of PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, and Web of Science was performed from 2013 to 2025. STUDY SELECTION Studies testing interventions to prevent diabetes in Latin America were included. Studies were assessed for bias using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. DATA EXTRACTION Intervention elements and outcomes, including HbA1c and other obesity markers, were collected. No pooling of findings was possible. DATA SYNTHESIS The analysis included 11 articles. The majority significantly reduced the risk of diabetes, as assessed by markers including HbA1c, glucose, weight, and BMI. Studies that included multiple aspects, including diet, exercise, and lifestyle education, were more likely to report significant changes. LIMITATIONS Studies that did not contain the keywords used for the search or were indexed only in other databases may have been missed. Heterogeneity of study interventions and outcomes prevented a quantitative synthesis of effect sizes. Half of the included studies did not test interventions against a control or comparison group, limiting conclusions about their effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS Although more rigorous studies are needed, interventions with interdisciplinary teams and multiple phases can potentially reduce diabetes risk. Interventions that follow participants for an extended period may be more successful over the long term.