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continued:

Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control

Tip 4: Lose extra weight

If you're overweight, diabetes prevention may hinge on weight loss. Every pound you lose can improve your health. And you may be surprised by how much. In one study, overweight adults who lost a modest amount of weight — 5 percent to 10 percent of initial body weight — and exercised regularly reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent over three years.

Tip 5: Skip fad diets and make healthier choices

Low-carb, low-glycemic load or other fad diets may help you lose weight at first, but their effectiveness at preventing diabetes isn't known; nor are their long-term effects. And by excluding or strictly limiting a particular food group, you may be giving up essential nutrients. Instead, think variety and portion control as part of an overall healthy-eating plan.

Make it a team effort

The American Diabetes Association recommends blood glucose screening for everyone age 45 and older who's overweight. If you're older than age 45 and at a normal weight, ask your doctor about earlier testing. Also ask your doctor about testing if you're younger than age 45 and overweight with one or more additional risk factors for type 2 diabetes — such as a sedentary lifestyle or a family history of diabetes.

Also share your concerns about diabetes prevention. Your doctor will applaud your efforts to keep diabetes at bay, and perhaps offer additional suggestions based on your medical history or other factors.

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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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