Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Diabetes

​Changing one’s lifestyle is a major step towards preventing type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. Individuals who’re at risk of developing diabetes or already have it can adopt the following measures to prevent the disease from occurring or progressing.

Lose Excess Weight

Research has shown that people who lose weight lower their risk of developing diabetes. According to research, individuals who lose approximately 7 percent of their body weight reduced the occurrence of diabetes by almost 60 percent. The American Diabetes Association advises individuals with prediabetes (high risk of getting diabetes) to lose at least 7 to 10 percent of their body weight to stop disease progression.

Minimize Consumption of Highly Processed Foods

Highly processed foods often contain chemical preservatives, added sugars, and unhealthy fats. Examples of highly processed foods include hot dogs, sodas, chips, candy bars, and frozen desserts. Studies have revealed that consuming highly processed foods increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30 percent.

Drink Plenty of Water

It’s advisable to limit the consumption of beverages with high amounts of sugar, and instead focus on consuming lots of water. Sugary drinks, such as sweetened fruit juice and soda, have been linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA), the latter of which exhibits features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, increased water intake improves blood sugar regulation and insulin response.

American Health Council’s Best in Medicine Award, Dr. Hartmuth Bittner, Sugeon

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