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Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control

Tweaking your lifestyle could be a big step toward diabetes prevention — and it's never too late to start. Consider these tips.

By Mayo Clinic staff

When it comes to type 2 diabetes — the most common type of diabetes — prevention is a big deal. It's especially important to make diabetes prevention a priority if you're at increased risk of diabetes, for example, if you're overweight or have a family history of the disease. In the United States alone, experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expect diabetes to affect more than 48 million people by 2050.

Tweaking your lifestyle could be a big step toward diabetes prevention — and it's never too late to start. Diabetes prevention is as basic as losing extra weight and eating more healthfully. Consider the latest diabetes prevention tips from the American Diabetes Association.

Tip 1: Get more physical activity

There are many benefits to regular physical activity. It can help you lose weight but even if it doesn't, it's still important to get off the couch. Whether you lose weight or not, physical activity lowers blood sugar and boosts your sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range.

Research shows that both aerobic exercise and resistance training can help control diabetes, but the greatest benefits come from a fitness program that includes both.

Tip 2: Get plenty of fiber

It's rough, it's tough — and it may reduce the risk of diabetes by improving your blood sugar control. Fiber intake is also associated with a lower risk of heart disease. It may even promote weight loss by helping you feel full. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Tip 3: Go for whole grains

Although it's not clear why, whole grains may reduce your risk of diabetes and help maintain blood sugar levels. Try to make at least half your grains whole grains. Many foods made from whole grains come ready to eat, including various breads, pasta products and ready-to-eat cereals. Look for the word "whole" on the package and among the first few items in the ingredient list.

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References
  1. Type 2 diabetes. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/type-2-diabetes.jsp. Accessed July 29, 2008.
  2. American Diabetes Association. Nutrition recommendations and interventions for diabetes: A position statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(1)(suppl):S61-78.
  3. Van Horn L, et al. The evidence for dietary prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2008;108(2):287-331.
  4. Narayan K, et al. Impact of recent increase in incidence on future diabetes burden. Diabetes Care: 2006;29:2114-2116. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/extract/29/9/2114. Accessed July 29, 2008.
  5. Hamman R, et al. Effect of weight loss with lifestyle intervention on risk of diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2006;29:2102-2107. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/29/9/2102. Accessed July 29, 2008.
  6. deMunter JSL, et al. Whole Grain, bran, and germ intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study and systematic review. PLoS Medicine. 2007;4(8):e261. http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040261. Accessed July 31, 2008.
  7. Weickert MO, et al. Metabolic effects of dietary fiber consumption and prevention of diabetes. The Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(3):439-442.
  8. Sigal RJ, et al. Effects of aerobic training, resistance training, or both on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2007;147:357-369
  9. Frequently asked questions about pre-diabetes. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/pre-diabetes/faq.jsp. Accessed July 31, 2008.
  10. Slavin JL. Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutrition. 2005;21(3):411-418.

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Oct. 11, 2008

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