Healthy Lifestyle Slashes Risk of Diabetes by 89 Percent

A recent study suggests that lifestyle in middle age and beyond really can prevent diabetes.

The incidence of diabetes is growing, much of it apparently due to rising rates of obesity. Add to that the estimated 57 million Americans who have pre diabetes, those who have higher than normal blood sugar and are at increased risk of developing diabetes.

In the study, 9 of 10 new cases of diabetes in adults over age 65 were attributable to 5 lifestyle factors: weight, diet, activity, tobacco and alcohol.

The study tracked 4,883 men and women age 65 and older for ten years. After adjusting for age, sex, race, education and income, researchers found that diets highest in fiber with a healthier balance of fats and lower in refined grains and sweets was one link to lower risk of diabetes. Other habits of people less likely to develop diabetes were long-term avoidance of tobacco, light to moderate alcohol consumption, healthy weight and/or waist circumference, and regular physical activity.

The significance of avoiding excess body fat seen in past research was repeated here; that alone was enough to cut diabetes risk almost 50 percent. Overall, the rate of diabetes was 35 percent lower for each one additional healthy lifestyle factor, such as simply walking more than average and eating more healthfully (more fiber, less sweets, healthier fats). People whose lifestyle ranked healthier than average in all five categories slashed their risk of diabetes by 89 percent.

But can someone whose lifestyle falls in the high-risk, unhealthy group, and perhaps has for years, change behavior? Yes, according to a body of research. For example, a new German study of 182 overweight and obese middle age people with pre-diabetes. After a 12-month program, participants lost weight, increased exercise and improved eating habits. Fasting blood sugar levels dropped.

Two large studies, the American Diabetes Prevention Program and the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, had previously shown that a low fat diet, increased physical activity and weight loss could decrease incidence of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in adults showing signs of pre diabetes. The majority of people in these studies could attain the goal of a five to seven percent weight loss. However, both lifestyle change programs relied on intensive long-term individual counseling.

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References:
1. Karen Collins. American Institute for Cancer Research.