In America, about one in every eight people 90% to 95% of them have type 2 diabetes, which is why it is important to know if you are at risk. The good news is that when you know the top risk factors, you can take steps to get healthy and prevent type 2 diabetes.
Here are the top five risk factors for type 2 diabetes and what you can do about them.
1. Weight
Being overweight and having a large waist can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Losing as little as 5%-10% of your body weight can help you lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Make sure you read food labels and eat a healthy variety of foods with good portion sizes at each meal. It is recommended that you fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter of your plate with protein and a quarter of your plate with whole grains or starches.
2. Not Exercising
Whether you spend a lot of time on the couch watching TV or have a job where you have to sit for a long time, if your lifestyle involves a lot of sitting, it’s time to get moving. Exercise is important to your overall health, and it can help with preventing type 2 diabetes by helping your body use insulin and absorb glucose.
You don’t need to spend hours at a gym to become more physically active. Something as simple as walking for half an hour every day can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%.
3. Age
Your risk for developing type 2 diabetes goes up as you get older. It is extra important to talk to your provider about your risk for diabetes if you are 45 or older. If you are younger than 45 and you are concerned about diabetes, bring it up with your provider. It’s never too early to focus on preventing type 2 diabetes!
4. Family History
Your family health history can help you learn if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. If you have a family history of type 2 , obesity, heart disease and gestational diabetes, you are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. You may also be at higher risk if you are Black, Native American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino or Pacific Islander.
While you can’t control your family history and ethnicity, you can share this information with your provider and talk about what you can do to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
5. Prediabetes
People with prediabetes do not respond normally to insulin and have high blood sugar levels that have not quite reached the level of diabetes. If you do not treat prediabetes, it can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
If you work to manage your prediabetes with a healthy diet, exercise and regular checkups with your provider, you can reverse the effects of prediabetes and your risk for type 2 diabetes.
HealthLinc Can Help
To learn more about lowering your risk for type 2 diabetes, it is important to talk to a provider about your health. Call HealthLinc at 888-580-1060 and schedule an appointment today.
