If anyone in your immediate family has type 2 diabetes, then you’re probably aware that you’re also at high risk for the disease. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, and/or the insulin that it DOES produce isn’t used efficiently in the body. In either case, the result is a rise in blood glucose (or sugar). High blood glucose over time can cause serious health complications, so it’s important for people at high risk for diabetes have their blood glucose tested regularly and to take steps to decrease their risk if their blood glucose begins to rise. People with blood glucose that is higher than normal but below the cut-off for a diagnosis of diabetes have “pre-diabetes.”

However, people with pre-diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes by improving their lifestyle. The NIH-funded Diabetes Prevention Program was a large research study that demonstrated the effectiveness of intensive lifestyle intervention in greatly reducing the onset of diabetes in persons with pre-diabetes. In fact, the lifestyle group achieved better outcomes than the group that received the anti-diabetic drug metformin.

To achieve such a positive outcome, the lifestyle group changed their eating and exercise habits to promote modest weight loss of five to seven percent of their body weight. They ate diets rich in vegetables, whole grain foods, and fruits, with low fat or fat-free dairy foods, and lean sources of protein, They received counseling for information and encouragement. Those of us not in a research study can enlist the help of family members, who can be our cheerleaders for a healthier lifestyle.

Podcast: Reducing Risk for Diabetes

Written by: Linda B. Bobroff

Reviewed by: Donna Davis

Listening, learning and living together, it’s the science of life. Family Album is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM. If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website at familyalbumradio.org.

Sources:

American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes-2006. Diabetes Care. 2006;29 (Suppl 1): S4-S42. Available at: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/29/suppl_1/s4 Accessed July 10, 2006.

American Diabetes Association. Prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes (position statement). Diabetes Care. 2004;27:S47-S48.

Brekke HK, Jansson P, Mansson J, Lenner R. Lifestyle changes can be achieved through counseling and follow-up in first-degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103: 835-844.

Knowler WC, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler SE, et al. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:393-403.

Sadovsky R. Glycemia testing to diagnose type 2 diabetes mellitus. Am Fam Physician. 2003; Jan 1. Available at http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030101/tips/5.html Accessed July 31, 2006.

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Diabetes Prevention Program. Available at:
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/preventionprogram/index.htm Accessed
on August 28, 2006.