- Study participants who lost an average of 15 lbs. were 58% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a three-year period than people who did not make these lifestyle changes.
A major landmark study, The Diabetes Prevention Program, found that people with prediabetes can take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is defined by blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but that don’t reach the benchmark for diabetes.
In the study, participants who 1) followed a low-calorie, low-fat diet; 2) exercised 30 minutes a day; and 3) lost an average of 15 lbs. were 58% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a three-year period than people who did not make these lifestyle changes.
In addition, a fourth step—taking medication—helped. People in the study who took the diabetes drug Glucophage (metformin) reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by 31%, compared with people who received a placebo. In another study, the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE), people taking the ACE inhibitor Altace (ramipril) were 30% less likely to develop diabetes than those taking a placebo.
A fifth step—a high-fiber diet—may decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. An observational study of nearly 36,000 women found that those who consumed the most fiber from cereal had a 36% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those consuming the least fiber from cereal. A more recent study from Finland reported similar results in men and women.
Finally, quitting smoking may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. A study of more than 21,000 U.S. male physicians found that those who smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day were 70% more likely to develop diabetes than those who had never smoked or were former smokers.
Efforts to prevent type 2 diabetes are especially important for people at high risk for developing diabetes—those who have prediabetes, are overweight, have a family history of diabetes, belong to a high-risk ethnic group (such as blacks, Hispanics, Asians, or Native Americans), or have a history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
