Comparison of the Effectiveness of Metformin with Lifestyle Modification for the Primary Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Almost 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes and the upward trend of this chronic disease is still ongoing, so that after about four decades, this disease is still one of the top 10 causes of death, while half of these deaths occur in people under 60 years of age. Therefore, prevention is essential and the implementation of the most effective intervention approach is required after recognizing at-risk individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lifestyle modification interventions and metformin on the prevention of type 2 diabetes and improvement in four risk factors related to diabetes. Methods: The study was conducted by searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, and Google Scholar without time and language restrictions. Randomized controlled trials which examined the effect of both lifestyle modification interventions and metformin in a population over the age of 18 years with no history of any type of diabetes were included. After the withdrawal of poor quality studies and those withfollow-up time of less than 6 months, structured review and meta-analysis will be performed to calculate the relative risk of type 2 diabetes incidence and mean difference in weight, body mass index, plasma fasting glucose, and hemoglobin A1c. Data analysis was performed using comprehensive meta-analysis software version 2.2.064. Conclusion: This study will make it possible to choose between two conventional therapeutic approaches (lifestyle modification and metformin) to prevent type 2 diabetes and its impact on four risk factors.