With a staggering 3 million diabetics - 90% diagnosed with type 2 diabetes - currently living in the UK, it should come as no surprise that the number of diagnosed cases is expected to reach an alarming 5 million by 2025 - that's at least 400 new cases each day.
Although a multitude of factors can increase your risk of developing this increasingly common condition, an accumulation of excess weight and a waist measuring 80cm or more instantly places you in the high risk category. Other factors such as:
• your ethnic origin - Chinese, black and South Asian individuals are more likely to develop the condition
• your age - diabetes has a tendency to develop after the age of 40
• your family - you have a one in three chance of developing diabetes if your siblings and parents also have the condition
Can also have a significant impact on whether you are diagnosed as diabetic. So, is it possible to reduce your risk? Absolutely. In fact, something as simple as a few basic lifestyle changes can be enough to lower the likelihood of diagnosis considerably:
• your ethnic origin - Chinese, black and South Asian individuals are more likely to develop the condition
• your age - diabetes has a tendency to develop after the age of 40
• your family - you have a one in three chance of developing diabetes if your siblings and parents also have the condition
Can also have a significant impact on whether you are diagnosed as diabetic. So, is it possible to reduce your risk? Absolutely. In fact, something as simple as a few basic lifestyle changes can be enough to lower the likelihood of diagnosis considerably:
• get active - aside from weight management and reducing your risk of developing a multitude of weight related health conditions - including type 2 diabetes - participating in moderate physical exercise for at least 30 minutes 5x a week will aid the control of blood glucose by helping insulin to work more effectively.
• lose weight - losing just 5-10% of your current body weight is enough to benefit health. Not only will weight loss aid the control of blood glucose levels, it will also help to reduce insulin resistance, blood pressure and cholesterol.
• get healthy - a healthy, balanced diet low in saturated fat and high in fibre should be consumed regardless of whether you're at risk of developing diabetes - even diabetics will benefit from maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. Try to eat regular meals, monitor portion sizes and feed your body as many nutrients as possible - think fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain carbohydrates and low fat dairy, and eliminate processed food while keeping fatty and sugary sources to a minimum.
• lose weight - losing just 5-10% of your current body weight is enough to benefit health. Not only will weight loss aid the control of blood glucose levels, it will also help to reduce insulin resistance, blood pressure and cholesterol.
• get healthy - a healthy, balanced diet low in saturated fat and high in fibre should be consumed regardless of whether you're at risk of developing diabetes - even diabetics will benefit from maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. Try to eat regular meals, monitor portion sizes and feed your body as many nutrients as possible - think fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain carbohydrates and low fat dairy, and eliminate processed food while keeping fatty and sugary sources to a minimum.
Remember that even if you're diagnosed with diabetes, the condition is perfectly manageable and controllable via exercise and nutrition.
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