Researchers have suggested that South Asian families could help improve their chance to lower their risk of type 2 diabetes by making modest lifestyle changes in diet and activity.

The three-year-old- Edinburgh University study monitored 171 people of Indian and Pakistani background residing in Scotland, who were at high risk of diabetes as shown by blood tests done at the beginning of the trial, the BBC reported.

Study participants were given advice by dieticians and offered culturally-appropriate resources to help them manage their weight through diet and exercise.

At the same time, control groups received basic advice that was not culturally specific.

Professor Raj Bhopal , from Edinburgh University's centre for population health sciences, said that the differing approaches show that a more family-centred strategy, in addition with culturally tailored lifestyle advice, could produce significant benefits to people's health through weight loss.

The trial has been published in the journal Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.