Type 2 diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose levels, or blood sugar levels, are too high. Now, blood glucose is the body’s main energy source and comes from the foods you eat. Incidentally, insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose get into your cells.
Now, high blood sugar levels occur when the body is unable to regulate and use sugar as a fuel. Consequently, in the long-term this condition results in too much sugar circulating in the bloodstream. Unfortunately, these high blood sugar levels can lead to disorders of the circulatory, nervous, and immune systems.
Prevalence of the Disease
First and foremost, Type 2 diabetes is on the rise all over the world. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while 80.1 million adults in the United States have prediabetes, nearly 90 percent don’t know they have it.
Now, millions of Americans of all ages are at risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. Also, the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases with age. In addition, even though the risk of children and adolescents getting diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is low, it does occur. By the way, studies show that young children who are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are likely to become overweight when they become adults.
Are you at risk?
It’s important to talk to your doctor about getting your blood sugar tested if you have any of the risk factors for prediabetes. These include:
- Being overweight
- Being 45 years or older
- Having a parent, brother, or sister with Type 2 diabetes
- Being physically active less than 3 times a week
- Ever having gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome
- If your ethnicity includes African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans.
Precautions
Meanwhile, managing Type 2 diabetes is risky. Indeed, traditional prevention methods postpone both Type 2 diabetes and its effects. Now, here are some typical precautions.
- First, one prevention method includes being physically active. One example of physical activity includes a regular walk in your neighborhood. Or, if you prefer to exercise at home, there are many exercise machines that make it easy to do your workouts at home. For example, there are machines that help you exercise at home while you sit and read a book, watch television, listen to book tapes on your mobile, talk to a friend with your mobile device, and more.
- Second, a healthy diet is essential. In fact, there is tons of information, on the internet, to help you come up with a healthy diet that helps your lose weight and keep you healthy.
- Third, regular visits to a health care provider are also essential.
- Fourth, medications may be necessary to prevent complications early on.
- Fifth, maintaining a healthy weight is important for avoiding complications.
- Also, enabling intervention, education, and referral when needed, are all critical to achieving successful outcomes.
- Finally, regular monitoring of blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and health checkups for symptoms of diabetes greatly reduce risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Calorie Intake for Weight Loss
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (part of the National Institute of Health), eating plans containing 1,200 to 1,500 calories each day, will help most women lose weight safely. Meanwhile, eating plans containing 1,500 to 1,800 calories each day, will help men and women, who weigh more or who exercise regularly.
Results from Studies
Now, the Diabetes Prevention program found that participants in a Lifestyle Change Program lowered their chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent compared with participants who took a placebo (a pill without medicine). Incidentally, the Lifestyle Change Program, consisting of dietary changes and increased physical activity was effective for all participating racial and ethnic groups, both men and women. The program worked particularly well for participants aged 60 and older, lowering their chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 71 percent. By the way, about 5 percent of participants in the Lifestyle Change Program developed diabetes each year during the study compared with 11 percent of participants who took a placebo.
Also, if you have prediabetes, losing a small amount of weight if you’re overweight and getting regular physical activity can lower your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Now, a small amount of weight loss means around 5 to 7 percent of your body weight, or just 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. Finally, regular physical activity means getting at least 30 minutes of brisk walking or a similar activity, five days a week.