How to Prevent Diabetes
This page contains answers to questions about how to prevent diabetes and links to sources for more information.
Q - How can diabetes be prevented?
A - The best way to prevent diabetes is to:
- Know about the factors that increase your risk of getting diabetes.
- Make changes to your lifestyle that will reduce these risk factors.
- Consult your doctor or health care provider to discuss any plans or modifications before you actually implement them.
Q - What are the risk factors for diabetes?
A - The risk factors that may make you more likely to develop diabetes include the following:
- If you have pre-diabetes.
- If you have a brother, sister, parent with diabetes.
- If you are overweight or obese.
- If you are older than 45 years.
- If you are African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, or American Indian.
- If you are physically inactive.
- If you have had gestational diabetes in the past or polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Q - What can I do about these risk factors for diabetes?
A - Not all risk factors can be changed. Age, race, ethnicity and family history of disease cannot be changed. But, certain important risk factors like being overweight and inactivity can be changed.
The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study found out that people who have high risks of developing diabetes can reduce their risk by as much as 58% by losing weight through exercising and eating healthy diets. This benefit was seen in people of all ethnic groups, age groups and gender.
The DPP study also found out that diabetes pills like metformin can prevent or delay the development of diabetes by as much as 31% in people who have high risk. It is not as effective as diets and exercises in preventing diabetes and is usually reserved for certain people. Ask your doctor if you will benefit from diabetes prevention using metformin.
Below is a summary of how to prevent diabetes through some lifestyle changes suggested by the study:
Weight Loss: It is important to note that maintaining a normal weight is a vital part of preventing diabetes. Exercise and diets though beneficial on their own should be targeted towards weight loss in overweight people to achieve the best results.
The common recommendation for a newly diagnosed diabetic who is overweight is to lose 10% of his/her current weight.
Exercise: It is recommended that you spend at least 150 minutes of mild to moderate exercise every week. This translates to 30 minutes per day from Monday to Friday. Exercise has been shown to improve the body's response to insulin and so helps correct insulin resistance.
Diet: A diet low in fats and calories were found to offer the best benefits. Eating a healthy diet will help in weight loss for overweight people and in maintaining optimal weight in others.
Q - When should I see a doctor?
A - If you have any of the risk factors mentioned above you should see your doctor to discuss how to prevent diabetes and stay healthy. In addition, if you observe any of the symptoms of diabetes, you should see your doctor or health care provider immediately.
You will need your doctor or health care provider to help show you how to prevent diabetes and work with you to prepare a plan customized to give you the best results. Your doctor will also be able to provide testing and ancillary medical care that you need.
Created August, 2009
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