Preventing Diabetes

Because diabetes is a condition where blood sugar is too high, many people mistakenly think that eating too much sugar is the primary cause of diabetes. While sugar is a contributing factor, there are many other habits that can increase your risk of developing this disease:

• Obesity (BMI of 30 or more) and overweight (BMI of 25-30) both increase the risk of diabetes, and even modest weight loss (9 pounds in three years) in someone with elevated blood sugar levels can cut the risk in half. Regular exercise can lower the risk, as well.

• Consuming simple carbs such as potatoes and white bread increases the risk while whole grain consumption lowers it.

• Trans fats increase the risk of diabetes while those who eat the most polyunsaturated fats have a lower risk.

• Eating one serving of red meat a day increases diabetes risk by 22% over those who eat red meat once a week. Processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and lunch meats increase the risk even more.

For more information on dietary fats, obesity, healthy eating, and exercise, scan the archives of this blog and stay tuned. These topics will continue to appear in the months ahead.