Type 2 diabetes can be prevented. Obesity is the main risk factor for its development, the growing increase of obesity cases in society has triggered the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the world. How to prevent type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes (about 90% of people with diabetes have this type). The body of a person with type 2 diabetes does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not make use of the insulin. Half of the people with diabetes don’t even know it, many discover they have it when they are faced with problems such as blurred vision, heart problems or another of its complications. But type 2 diabetes is preventable.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that involves both preventable risk factors, related to a person’s lifestyle, and non-preventable risk factors, such as genetics and age. Intervening in the preventable risk factors by changing habits is fundamental to avoid its development. Even more so if we have a genetic predisposition.
Recommendations to prevent type 2 diabetes
Prevention measures for type 2 diabetes are mainly based on two pillars: healthy eating and moderate physical activity, both focused on maintaining a healthy weight. But there are other guidelines to follow, which reduce the risk of developing the pathology:
- How to prevent type 2 diabetesFollow a healthy diet (with the plate method).
- Practice moderate physical activity (such as walking 30 minutes a day).
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Drink water (avoid juices, sugary drinks and alcohol).
- Measure our blood glucose, a periodic control will help us to detect prediabetes and apply measures.
- Sleep well (good quality sleep reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes).
- Avoid stress.