Many people at risk of type 2 diabetes are just waiting for it to happen, but the good news is that it can be prevented. You here things like, "I knew it would happen, it's in my family", but they never did much to prevent it. There is a lot of evidence that lifestyle changes (achieving a healthy body weight and moderate physical activity) can help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. To find out your level of risk of developing diabetes in the next ten years, take the online diabetes risk assessment here Diabetes Risk Assessment Test.
If you scored 12–14 points in the Risk Test, you would be well advised to seriously consider your physical activity and eating habits and pay attention to your weight, to prevent yourself from developing diabetes. If you feel you would need professional help to take these steps, contact us here to find out more about our diabetes prevention program, we will be glad to help you.
If you scored 15 points or more in the Risk Test, you should have your blood glucose measured (both fasting value and value after a dose of glucose or a meal) to determine if you have diabetes without symptoms.
Now let's take each of the action steps one at a time.
Obesity, particularly abdominal obesity (carrying weight around the waist), is linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. Weight loss improves insulin resistance and reduces hypertension. People who are overweight or obese should therefore be encouraged to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. This can be achieved through proper nutrition and increasing physical activity.
Physical activity is one of the main pillars in the prevention of diabetes. Increased physical activity is important in maintaining weight loss and is linked to reduced blood pressure, reduced resting heartrate, increased insulin sensitivity, improved body composition and psychological well-being.
A balanced and nutritious diet is essential for health. It'll help you lose excess weight and reduces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. You can learn more from our book What Should i be Eating?
Other behaviors to consider include:
Smoking: a well-established risk factor for many chronic diseases, including diabetes and its complications. As well as other harmful effects, smoking increases abdominal fat accumulation and insulin resistance. All smokers should be encouraged to quit smoking. However, weight gain is common when quitting smoking and therefore dietary advice on avoiding weight gain should also be given (e.g. managing cravings and withdrawal symptoms by using short bouts of physical activity as a stress-relief activity, rather than eating snacks).
Stress and depression: There is evidence of a link between depression and both diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Sleeping patterns: Both short (<6h) and long (>9h) sleep durations may be associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Sleep deprivation may impair the balance of hormones regulating food intake and energy balance. Long sleep durations may be a sign of disordered breathing during sleepor depression and should be treated appropriately. There is also a close association between obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA), the most common form of disordered breathing during sleep.
To learn more practical steps towards preventing diabetes, you can get our book What Should I be eating?
