Diabetes UK have the following advice on their webpage regarding lifestyle changes for patient with prediabetes – follow this link for the information on their website www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/type-2-diabetes/prediabetes or read our summary below –
Preventing type 2 diabetes
Research has consistently shown that for some people combined lifestyle interventions – including diet, physical activity and sustained weight loss – can be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 50%.
Being at risk doesn’t mean you will definitely develop type 2 diabetes. Now is a great time to start making healthy changes to the foods you eat and your activity levels to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Your healthcare team can support you in making these changes.
You can also call our helpline if you have any worries about being at risk of type 2 diabetes or for help with what to do next. And you could join our online forum to share your experiences with others who are at risk or have type 2 diabetes.
Here are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
Manage your weight
If you are living with overweight or obesity and are at high risk of type 2 diabetes even small amounts of weight loss are really beneficial. Losing 5% of your body weight can significantly reduce your risk. There are lots of ways you can lose weight and it’s about getting the right support to find what works best for you.
If you need help with managing your weight a dietitian can help you. Your GP surgery can also help you find weight management services in your local area.
Eat a healthy and balanced diet
There’s no one special diet for all people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Everyone is individual, so there isn’t a one size fits all way of eating for everyone. But, the food and drink we have in our overall diet is linked to our risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
For example, if your overall diet is made up of food and drinks that are in high fat, have a high GI (short for glycaemic index) and low fibre content, this is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. But the good news is that by changing some of your food and drink, you can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
But what is a healthy and balanced diet anyway? All of these ways of eating have been linked with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes:
- Mediterranean diet — check out our handy Mediterranean meal plans
- dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet
- vegetarian and vegan diets
- the Nordic diet
- moderately cutting down on carbohydrates.
This is because they are made up of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and lean proteins and it’s the overall balance of our diet that is important in keeping us healthy.
So, to reduce your risk, aim to eat more of the foods linked with a decreased risk. Research has shown us that the following foods and drinks can be associated with a decreased risk:
- total fruit and veg intake (including specifically green leafy veg, blueberries, grapes and apples)
- wholegrains
- yogurt and cheese
- unsweetened tea and coffee.
Additionally, there are some foods we recommend reducing your intake of, as these have been associated with an increased risk. These foods include:
- sugar sweetened drinks
- red and processed meats (like beef, lamb, pork, ham and sausages)
- refined carbohydrates (like sugary snacks, white bread, sugary cereals)
- potatoes (particularly French fries).
Be more active
A sedentary lifestyle is when we spend a lot of time being inactive and not moving our bodies. Being sedentary is linked with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
So being active in your daily life can help to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. This doesn’t mean you need to take up a new sport or join the gym. You could make small changes so that you are being more active every day. Think about taking phone calls standing up, using stairs instead of the lift, doing some chair based exercises or going for a walk on your lunch break.