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Type 2 Diabetes - Prevention
Preventing type 2 diabetes
You can take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes. Even small changes can make a difference, and it is never too late to start making healthier choices.
- Maintain a healthy weight. To find out if you are overweight, you can use the
body mass index (BMI) chart for adults
or the same
chart in metric. If you need to lose weight, losing as few as
10 lb (4.5 kg) to
20 lb (9.1 kg) can help reduce
your risk of developing diabetes.2 - Exercise regularly.
Getting enough exercise lowers your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.4 Do activities that raise your
heart rate. Try to do
moderate activity at least 2½ hours a week. Or try to
do
vigorous activity at least 1¼ hours a week. It's fine
to be active in blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and week. Also
include resistance exercises in your exercise program.5, 6 Resistance exercises can include
activities like weight lifting or even yard work. This does not mean that you
have to do strenuous activities or join an expensive gym—anything that
increases your heart rate counts. Walking groups or programs where you use a
pedometer to count the number of steps you take in a day are great ways to
start exercising and to stay motivated. If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes,
using an
exercise planning form
(What is a PDF document?) may help you and your doctor or
other health professional to create a personalized exercise
program. - Eat healthy foods.
- Eat a balanced diet, including whole grains, lean meat, and vegetables.
- Limit saturated fats.
- Limit alcohol.
- Limit calories in order to avoid gaining weight, or to help you lose weight.
- Reduce your intake of soft drinks, sugary foods, and junk food.
- Eat smaller meals more often in order to keep blood sugar levels within your target range.
- Get treatment if you haveprediabetes. If your fasting blood sugar levels are in the range from 100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL, you are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes.2
Preventing diabetes complications
You can help
prevent or delay problems with your
eyes, heart, nerves, and kidneys if you:
- Keep your blood sugar levels within your target range.
- Talk to your doctor about taking a low-dose aspirin to prevent a heart attack, a stroke, or other large blood vessel diseases (macrovascular disease).
- Control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Take an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) medicine at the first sign of diabetic nephropathy, even if you do not have high blood pressure.2
- Get regular eye exams.
- Take good care of your feet.
- Quit smoking. If you smoke cigarettes, talk with your doctor about ways to quit. Smoking contributes to the early development of diabetes complications.11 For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 19, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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