DURHAM, N.C. and EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Structure House, an internationally recognized weight loss center in the diet capital of Durham, North Carolina, is conducting an on-site research study using the PreDx™ Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) test on 50 participants in its 28-day program. Developed by Tethys Bioscience, the PreDx DRS is a simple blood test used to classify at-risk patients and identify those most likely to develop type 2 diabetes within five years.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Risk factors for getting diabetes include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, a history of heart disease and obesity. There are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States who have diabetes and 5.7 million people unaware they have the disease. When a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal, they become at risk for type 2 diabetes.
“Many studies indicate simple lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise, can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes,” said Anna Stout, lead researcher and clinical psychologist for Structure House. “This is especially important for the 57 million Americans already classified as pre-diabetic because this is the best opportunity to prevent a diagnosis of diabetes and reduce adverse health effects.”
The PreDx DRS is generated from the analysis of a fasting blood sample and produces a score between one and 10 to indicate an individual’s personalized risk of developing diabetes within five years. The study is currently being conducted at Structure House and results will be available later this year.
“The PreDx Diabetes Risk Score provides a more definitive and stratified assessment of the risk for type 2 diabetes than any other test that is currently available, and the test results are available within one week,” said Dr. Eric Book, Chief Medical Officer at Tethys Bioscience.
For those already diagnosed with diabetes, Structure House offers a specialized four-week diabetes program focusing on lifestyle change. In addition to changing diet and exercise while enrolled in the program, participants attend specialized educational classes related to the role of nutrition and exercise in diabetes and a series of group sessions focusing on health issues associated with diabetes and on learning strategies to reduce the negative impact of stress on glucose control and to improve diabetes self-management. Participants also have a weekly appointment with an endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes management. This is the only program of its kind offered in the United States.
About Structure House
Structure House®, an internationally recognized residential weight loss center in Durham, N.C., offers a unique, behavioral approach to weight loss and healthy lifestyle change. The program, recognized by Health magazine as “America’s Healthiest Diet,” integrates principles of nutrition and exercise with psychology in a treatment approach designed to transform the eating habits and lifestyles of overweight individuals. Since 1977, Structure House has helped more than 30,000 people from all 50 states and 35 nations battling obesity. The name Structure House underscores the critical role structure plays in achieving long-term weight loss.
Gerard J. Musante, Ph.D., one of the nation’s leading experts on obesity and weight loss, is the founder and director of Structure House. A renowned clinical psychologist, Dr. Musante was the first person to adapt the principles of behavior modification to the eating habits of significantly overweight people and food abusers. Dr. Musante is the author of The Structure House Weight Loss Plan. For more information, visit www.structurehouse.com.
About Tethys Bioscience
Tethys Bioscience is a predictive personalized medicine company developing novel tests which address the growing global healthcare challenge of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Founded in 2005, the company integrates an experienced management team, innovative research based on sound science, a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory, and a commercialization team with extensive experience in diagnostic innovation. The company’s partnerships with world class researchers and its solid financial foundation will enable Tethys to help transform the management of chronic diseases by providing personalized, preventive solutions that aid every constituency:
About the PreDx™ Diabetes Risk Score
Tethys announced the expanded availability of its first predictive, personalized test – the PreDx Diabetes Risk Score - in June 2008. The PreDx Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) is a first-of-its-
The new blood test is designed to help clinicians identify patients at highest risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The PreDx DRS is a quantitative in-vitro diagnostic test intended to aid in the assessment of a patient’s risk for developing Type 2 diabetes within five years. This test is offered as a service by the CLIA-certified Tethys Clinical Laboratory and is performed on a fasting blood sample from patients at risk for diabetes. Risk factors include increased age, BMI, family history, hypertension, dysglycemia and dyslipidemia. The information provided by the PreDx DRS may be used by the clinician in conjunction with other clinical indicators to develop an effective diabetes prevention program.
