A study by University of Colorado researchers finds that people who are at high risk for diabetes, such as those who are obese, can significantly reduce the chance they’ll develop the disease if they are aggressive about weight loss, including exercising five days a week and consuming less fat. The results, published in The Lancet medical journal, are considered highly important in helping doctors and patients develop the right strategies to fight the disease. CU researchers find the impact of weight loss and exercise, which can cut risk of diabetes by 34 percent (50 percent for people older than 60), is more profound than the most common prescription drug (18 percent), notes The Denver Post. Moreover, the study reveals that the effects of a healthy diet and exercise can have an impact that lasts not just months or years, but a decade. “If people would just do it, it would work,” says Dr. Richard Hamman, the study’s vice chair. “The problem is, it’s not that easy to do.”