Prevention in Endocrinology

Changing epidemiology has led to a clear shift in focus in endocrinology disease prevention. Iodine deficiency disorders and congenital hypothyroidism were examples of conditions, which when left untreated had severe consequences including impaired neurological development. However, introduction of appropriate health policies has successfully increased early recognition and treatment, thereby reducing the associated health burden. The epidemic of type 2 diabetes has now superseded these and presents one of the greatest public health challenges. In some countries, national policies are being implemented to tackle the increasing prevalence with strategies focusing on improving the obesogenic environment, a significant modifiable contributor to type 2 diabetes, as well as strategies that aim to prevent high-risk individuals progressing through to type 2 diabetes, such as the National type 2 diabetes Prevention Programme in England. The potential for prevention in other areas including gestational diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and osteoporosis will also be explored in this chapter.