Diabetes Prevention

Should I Be Tested for Diabetes?

Anyone 45 years old or older should consider getting tested for diabetes. If you are 45 or older and overweight—see the BMI chart—getting tested is strongly recommended. If you are younger than 45, overweight, and have one or more of the risk factors, you should consider getting tested. Ask your doctor for a fasting blood glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test. Your doctor will tell you if you have normal blood glucose, pre-diabetes, or diabetes.

Besides being older and overweight, what other factors
increase my risk for type 2 diabetes?

To find out your risk for type 2 diabetes, check each item that applies to you.

I have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
My family background is Alaska Native, American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, or Pacific Islander.
I have had gestational diabetes, or I gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
My blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg or higher, or I have been told that I have high blood pressure.
My cholesterol levels are not normal. My HDL cholesterol—“good” cholesterol—is below 35 mg/dL, or my triglyceride level is above 250 mg/dL.
I am fairly inactive. I exercise fewer than three times a week.
I have polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS—women only.
On previous testing, I had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG).
I have other clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as acanthosis nigricans.
I have a history of cardiovascular disease.

The more items that relate to you, the higher your risk.

How Can I Reduce My Risk?

You can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes. Exercising regularly, reducing fat and calorie intake, and losing a little weight can help you reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels also helps you stay healthy.

If you are overweight

Then take these steps:

Reach and maintain a reasonable body weight.
Make wise food choices most of the time.
Be physically active every day.

If you are fairly inactive

Then take this step:

Be physically active every day.

If your blood pressure is too high

Then take these steps:

Reach and maintain a reasonable body weight.
Make wise food choices most of the time.
Reduce your intake of sodium and alcohol.
Be physically active every day.
Talk with your doctor about whether you need medicine to control your blood pressure.

If your cholesterol or triglyceride levels are too high

Then take these steps:

Make wise food choices most of the time.
Be physically active every day.
Talk with your doctor about whether you need medicine to control your cholesterol levels.

Making Changes to Lower My Risk

Making big changes in your life is hard, especially if you are faced with more than one change. You can make it easier by taking these steps:

Make a plan to change behavior.
Decide exactly what you will do and when you will do it.
Plan what you need to get ready.
Think about what might prevent you from reaching your goals.
Find family and friends who will support and encourage you.
Decide how you will reward yourself when you do what you have planned.

Your doctor, a dietitian, or a counselor can help you make a plan. Consider making changes to lower your risk of diabetes.

Reach and Maintain a Reasonable Body Weight

Your weight affects your health in many ways. Being overweight can keep your body from making and using insulin properly. Excess body weight can also cause high blood pressure.

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body weight relative to height. You can use BMI to see whether you are underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Use the Body Mass Index Table below to find your BMI.

Find your height in the left-hand column.
Move across in the same row to the number closest to your weight.
The number at the top of that column is your BMI. Check the word above your BMI to see whether you are normal weight, overweight, or obese.

(click table for printer friendly PDF.)

If you are overweight or obese, choose sensible ways to get in shape.

Avoid crash diets. Instead, eat less of the foods you usually have. Limit the amount of fat you eat.
Increase your physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
Set a reasonable weight-loss goal, such as losing 1 pound a week. Aim for a long-term goal of losing 5 to 7 percent of your total body weight.

Diabetes Prevention Program

Research has demonstrated that people at risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes by losing a little weight. The results of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that moderate diet changes and physical activity can delay and prevent type 2 diabetes. Participants in this Federally funded study of 3,234 people at high risk for diabetes experienced a 5- to 7-percent weight loss. For example, a 5- to 7-percent weight loss for a 200-pound person would be 10 to 14 pounds.

Study participants were overweight and had higher than normal levels of blood glucose, a condition called pre-diabetes, also called impaired glucose tolerance. Both pre-diabetes and obesity are strong risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Because of the high risk for diabetes among some minority groups, about half of the DPP participants were African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic/Latino.

DPP participants also included others at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, such as women with a history of gestational diabetes and individuals aged 60 and older.

The DPP tested two approaches to preventing diabetes: lifestyle change—a program of healthy eating and exercise—and the diabetes drug metformin. People in the lifestyle change group exercised about 30 minutes a day 5 days a week, usually by walking, and lowered their intake of fat and calories. Those who took the diabetes drug metformin received information on exercise and diet. A third group only received information on exercise and diet.

The results showed that people in the lifestyle change group reduced their risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. In the first year of the study, people lost an average of 15 pounds. Lifestyle change was even more effective in those aged 60 and older. They reduced their risk by 71 percent. People receiving metformin reduced their risk by 31 percent.

Healthy Eating Can Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Choosing healthier foods and reducing the amount of food you eat will be very helpful in managing your weight loss and preventing Type 2 Diabetes. Listed below are tips to help you accomplish your goals.

Keep meat, fish and poultry servings to abut 3 ounces (a deck of playing cards)
Try to eat three sensible meals per day.
Try not to snack while cooking.
Eat more fresh fruit, veggies and whole grains.
Be sure to eat breakfast everyday.
Limit the amount of fried foods you eat. Baking, broiling, and grilling are much healthier ways to prepare meats and vegetables.
Drink six to eight glasses of water per day.
Use cured meats and broth in small amounts. They are very high in sodium.
When dining have a vegetable salad (with low calorie dressing), then split the entrée with a friend or have the other half wrapped to go.
Eat slowly; it takes 20 minutes for you stomach to send a signal to your brain that you are full.
Use non-stick cooking spray in place of butter or oil.
Avoiding adding fatty meats, butter, or oil to vegetables.
Select healthier choices at fast food restaurants. Have the grilled chicken salad or sandwich instead of the cheeseburger. Skip the French fries and have a cup of fruit or side salad with low-calorie dressing.
Make healthier snack choices like raw veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots…)
Flavor foods with spices instead of salt, butter, oil or meats.
Try to choose foods with little or no added sugar!!
Avoid eating lots of starches (white potatoes, white rice, spaghetti noodles, white breads, biscuits, grits, potato chips most breakfast cereals etc…)
Eat foods made from whole grains such as: whole wheat bread and oats. Substitute whole wheat bread for sandwiches and toast.
Read food labels. Choose foods lower in fat, saturated fat, calories, salt and sugar.
Never grocery shop on an empty stomach.
Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices which tend to be very high in sugar.
Work you way down form whole milk to 2%milk to 1%milk until you are drinking and cooking with fat-free milk.
Always take a healthy snack with you when traveling or working.
Try keeping a written record of what you eat for a week. It will help you see when you are overeating and what foods you are eating.
Lighten your recipes by using low-fat or light versions of ingredients such as sour cream, cream cheese, or mayonnaise.
Take a look at the serving sizes of the foods you eat. Reduce serving sizes of main courses such as meat, desserts, and foods high in fat. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables.
Limit your fat intake to about 25 percent of your total calories. For example, if your food choices add up to about 2,000 calories a day, try to eat no more than 56 grams of fat. Your doctor or a dietitian can help you figure out how much fat to have. You can also check food labels for fat content.
Limit your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg—about 1 teaspoon of salt—each day.
Talk with your doctor about whether you may drink alcoholic beverages. If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, limit your intake to one drink—for women—or two drinks—for men—per day.
You may also wish to reduce the number of calories you have each day. People in the DPP lifestyle change group lowered their daily calorie total by an average of about 450 calories. Your doctor or dietitian can help you with a meal plan that emphasizes weight loss.
When you meet your goal, reward yourself with a nonfood item or activity, like watching a movie.

Easy Step to Increase Exercise Activity

Increasing or beginning an exercise routine doesn’t have to be hard. Start off slowly with an activity that gets you moving about 10-15 minutes 5 days a week then build up to the recommended 30 minutes 5 days a week. It is advised to check with your health care professional before beginning a new exercise routine.

Try walking around the house while talking on the phone.
Park you vehicle further away from stores.
Put away the remote control- get up to change the TV channel.
Do sit-ups, walk around the house or march in place during TV commercial breaks.
Deliver a message in person to a co-worker instead of e-mailing.
Select an exercise video from the store.
Take a dance class with a friend.
Walk- find a group of friends and schedule walk dates throughout the week (maybe during lunch or before work.)
Get off the bus a few stops early and walk the rest of the way.
Take the stairs instead of elevators
Join a water aerobics class
Bicycle (build up to about 5 miles in 30 minutes)

How to Read Food Labels

Reading food labels will help you to choose healthier foods low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and calories. Food labels have two important parts: nutrition information and an ingredients list.

Read the Ingredients

All food labels list the product's ingredients in order by weight. The ingredient in the greatest amount is listed first. The ingredient in the least amount is listed last. To choose foods low in saturated fat or total fat, limit your use of products that list any fat or oil first--or that list many fat and oil ingredients. If you are watching your sodium intake, do the same for sodium or salt.

Read the Nutrition Information.

Look for the amount of calories, saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol in a serving of the product. Compare similar products to find the one with the least amounts. If you are at risk for or have high blood pressure, do the same for sodium (salt).

Example of a Food Label

Choose Foods Low in Saturated Fat

Foods that contain fat have different amounts of saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fat raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol level more than anything else you eat. It is found in great amount in foods from animals, such as fatty cuts of meat, poultry with the skin, whole-milk dairy products, and in tropical oils like coconut, palm kernel and palm oils. Most other vegetable oils are low in saturated fats. The best way to reduce your blood cholesterol level is to choose foods low in saturated fat.

Choose Foods Moderate to Low in Total Fat

Many foods high in total fat are also high in saturated fat; Choosing foods low in total fat will help you to eat less saturated fat. Any type of fat is high in calories, therefore a diet moderate in fat may also help you eat fewer calories, which will help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood cholesterol level. Most people should aim to get 30% or less of their total daily calories from fat. When you do eat fat, it is best to substitute unsaturated fat for saturated fat.

Choose Foods Low in Cholesterol

It is important to choose foods low in dietary cholesterol because dietary cholesterol can raise your blood cholesterol level. Dietary cholesterol is found only in foods that come from animals. Many of these foods are also high in saturated fat. To lower the amount of cholesterol in your diet, eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and moderate amounts of lean meats.

Take Your Prescribed Medications

Some people need medication to help control their blood pressure or cholesterol levels. If you do, take your medicines as directed. Ask your doctor about medicines to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Our Mission:

"To provide hope through programs, services and research to all Mississippians with diabetes- from our children to our seniors."

Diabetes Prevention

Should I Be Tested for Diabetes?

Besides being older and overweight, what other factors
increase my risk for type 2 diabetes?