It is known that there are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is the most common, and its occurrence is often associated with the problem of weight gain. This means that there may already be steps you can take to reduce your risk and to balance your blood sugar level regularly. Where you can, for example, replace white sugar with artificial sweeteners made of sucralose to reduce calories, or eat brown bread and other steps, but under the supervision and advice of your personal doctor.
Are you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is not so much related to weight gain and environmental factors as it is due to biological dysfunction of the pancreas. It occurs as a result of damage to the cells that produce insulin in the body, for reasons that are not yet fully understood. This is why there are no specific lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of developing type 1 diabetes. About 90% of people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and the good news is that if you are one who maintains a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle, you will reduce the chance. The risk of infection is great.
Might you have “prediabetes” or “prediabetes”!
You may not be completely diabetic, as many people have high levels of glucose in the blood that are above normal, but not high enough to diagnose diabetes. This is sometimes called “pre-diabetes” (Prediabetes), or also known as IGT (Impaired glucose intolerance). Or a defect in fasting glucose (IFG), which is represented by fasting glucose values between 110-125 mg / dL.
Even if you feel in good health, if your blood glucose levels are higher than normal and you have been diagnosed with a condition (pre-diabetes), then you are now at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and you should start by taking preventive steps, such as: eating healthy food, losing Excess weight if you suffer from it, increase the rate of physical activity.
The relationship of diabetes to weight!
If you are overweight or obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher, you are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Especially if the genetic factor also combines with that!
And you can find out if you are a healthy weight by calculating the body mass index (BMI) using our special calculator: “Body mass index – BMI”.
However, in July 2012, a recommendation was recently issued by the British National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) regarding BMI, which included adults from South Asia and China, who have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More than other white people.
This recommendation states that:
Asians with a BMI of 23 or more are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Asians with a BMI of 27.5 or more are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Although the evidence is not entirely clear, dark-skinned people and other minorities are also advised to keep a BMI below 25, to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
We have to mention that the BMI scale is not the only important measure. The waist measurement may also indicate the amount of excess fat stored in the body, and thus it is also an indicator of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as follows:
- For all women, a waist measurement of more than 80 cm indicates an increased risk.
- For white or dark-skinned men, a waist measurement of more than 94 cm is an indication of increased risk.
- For Asian men, a waist measurement of more than 90 cm increases the risk.
- So the bottom line says: losing excess weight means that you will reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Following a healthy diet and practicing physical activity are the key to a healthy weight, and certainly this does not mean that you follow a strict diet and spend long hours in the gym.
Other risk factors
There are a number of other factors that can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, most of which are uncontrollable. The risk factors include:
- Genetics: the presence of a family member (mother or father, or brother or sister) who suffers from type 2 diabetes.
- Ethnicity: Being from South Asia, Africa or the Caribbean. It will make you five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than others.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially if it is accompanied by weight gain.
- Gestational diabetes.
- Problems with glucose intolerance – Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT).
- An impairment of fasting diabetes (Impaired Fasting Glucose – IFG).
- If you have any of these risk factors, you should maintain a healthy weight to ensure that your risk of developing diabetes does not increase further.