Prevention of Diabetes

Lifestyle changes can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. Prevention is especially important if you're currently at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes because of excess weight or obesity, high cholesterol, or a family history of diabetes.

Although there is no proven way to prevent diabetes, making healthy lifestyle changes can help avoid the serious health complications such as nerve, kidney and heart damage. For example, follow a healthy eating plan every day, be physically active every day, take your medicines as prescribed, check your blood glucose levels regularly, manage your weight, exercise more, eat a healthy diet and avoid smoking. Also, limit simple sugars and processed foods.

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes — high blood sugar that doesn't reach the threshold of a diabetes diagnosis — lifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of disease.

Diabetes Prevention:
5 Tips for Taking Control

1. Lose extra weight

Losing weight reduces the risk of diabetes. People in one large study reduced their risk of developing diabetes by almost 60% after losing approximately 7% of their body weight with changes in exercise and diet. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with prediabetes lose at least 7% to 10% of their body weight to prevent disease progression.

2. Be more physically active

There are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you:

Lose weight
Lower your blood sugar
Boost your sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range

3. Eat healthy plant foods

Plants provide vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates in your diet. Carbohydrates include sugars and starches — the energy sources for your body — and fiber. Fiber-rich foods promote weight loss and lower the risk of diabetes. Eat a variety of healthy, fiber-rich foods, which include:

Fruits, such as tomatoes, peppers and fruit from trees
Nonstarchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli and cauliflower
Legumes, such as beans, chickpeas and lentils
Whole grains, such as whole-wheat pasta and bread, whole-grain rice, whole oats, and quinoa

4. Eat healthy fats

Fatty foods are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation. To help lose and manage weight, your diet should include a variety of foods with unsaturated fats, sometimes called "good fats." Unsaturated fats — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — promote healthy blood cholesterol levels and good heart and vascular health.

5. Skip fad diets and make healthier choices

Many fad diets — such as the glycemic index, paleo or keto diets — may help you lose weight. There is little research, however, about the long-term benefits of these diets or their benefit in preventing diabetes.

Your dietary goal should be to lose weight and then maintain a healthier weight moving forward. Healthy dietary decisions, therefore, need to include a strategy that you can maintain as a lifelong habit. Making healthy decisions that reflect some of your own preferences for food and traditions may be beneficial for you over time.

The American Diabetes Association recommends routine screening with diagnostic tests for type 2 diabetes for all adults age 45 or older.

The information was retrieved from the following resources:

Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control - Mayo Clinic and Newly Diagnosed with Diabetes | ADA

Diabetes NC

NC Prevents Diabetes – Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Across North Carolina