Diabetes Current Topics in Diabetes

Study Finds Evidence Risk of Type 2 Diabetes is Reduced with Healthy Lifestyle

Good diet and exercise are well known components of a healthy life, but a new study confirms that for those at risk for Type 2 diabetes, these lifestyle features may actually save them from a difficult disease.

In the study published in the May 3rd issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Finnish researchers report that diet and exercise modification resulted in a fifty-eight percent reduction in diabetes risk among people who are prime candidates for developing the condition, which is associated with obesity and sedentary lifestyle.

For those who have Type 2 diabetes, or are at risk of developing the disease, there are a number of eating habits that are particularly important. Here are a few simple kitchen tips, to tip the scale back in the right direction.

Look out for saturated fats
Steering clear of saturated fats is a critical component in both preventing Type 2 diabetes and controlling its effects. These fats come from animals, and are found in meats; dairy products like milk, cheese and ice cream; and in some kinds of cooking oils, such as lard.

When you eat a lot of saturated fats, your cholesterol and triglycerides levels tend to go up. And when your cholesterol is high, you are at a higher risk of developing hardening of the arteries and getting heart attacks and strokes. People with diabetes are especially prone to developing heart attacks and strokes, and need to be proactive about lowering the risk of heart disease. And if you tend to have high triglycerides (fats in the blood), then following a low-fat diet will help bring your triglycerides back down.

Controlling carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the foods that make your blood sugar increase, so controlling carbohydrates becomes essential for people who have developed Type 2 diabetes. You may think this means just cutting back on bread, but carbohydrates are everywhere. Examples of carbohydrates are: pasta, bread, rice, potatoe