In relation to diet, the advice is to increase the consumption of wholegrains, vegetables and other foods high in dietary fibre. People should also be advised to drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day, reduce the total amount of fat in their diet by replacing foods high in saturated fat with versions high in unsaturated fat. Type 2 diabetes: prevention in people at high risk from NICE (PH38; 2012) recommends the following:

• Choose skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurts, instead of cream and full-fat milk and dairy products
• Choose fish and lean meats instead of fatty meat and processed meat products (such as sausages and burgers)
• Grill, bake, poach or steam food instead of frying or roasting (e.g. choose a baked potato instead of chips)
• Avoid food high in fat such as mayonnaise, chips, crisps, pastries, poppadums (papads) and samosas
• Choose fruit, unsalted nuts or low-fat yoghurt as snacks instead of cakes, biscuits, Bombay mix or crisps.
  

Goal setting is important – a target of 5-10 per cent weight loss in the first year is a realistic initial target. Support should also be offered regarding smoking cessation and reduction of alcohol intake where applicable.

Pharmacies can signpost people to digital technology to support lifestyle changes. There are several NHS-approved diabetes apps available online. Most apps are free to download but people need to be enrolled in a programme from their healthcare provider to receive online support.