Preventing type 2 diabetes

You can take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes. Even small changes can make a difference, and it is never too late to start making healthier choices.

• Maintain a healthy weight. To find out if you are overweight, you can use the body mass index (BMI) chart for adults or the same chart in metric. If you need to lose weight, losing as few as 10lb to 20lb can help reduce your risk of developing diabetes.¹²
• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise decreases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.⁶ Try to do activities that raise your heart rate. Exercise for at least 30 minutes on most, preferably all, days of the week. The American Diabetes Association suggests that you include resistance exercises in your exercise program.¹³ Resistance exercises can include activities like weight lifting or even yard work. This does not mean that you have to do strenuous activities or join an expensive gym-anything that increases your heart rate counts. Walking groups or programs where you use a pedometer to count the number of steps you take in a day are great ways to start exercising and to stay motivated. If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, using an exercise planning form may help you and your doctor or other health professional to create a personalized exercise program.
• Eat healthy foods.
  • Eat a balanced diet, including whole grains, lean meat, and vegetables.
  • Limit saturated fats.
  • Limit alcohol.
  • Limit calories in order to avoid gaining weight, or to help you lose weight.
  • Reduce your intake of soft drinks, sugary foods, and junk food.
  • Eat smaller meals more often in order to keep blood sugar levels within your target range.
  Eating more vegetables, whole grains, and nuts can lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes.¹⁰ Eating a lot of sugary foods, fast foods, and red meat (especially processed red meat) and drinking a lot of soft drinks can increase your risk for developing type 2 diabetes.^{7, 8, 9} If you want to learn more about eating well, see the topic Healthy Eating.

Preventing diabetes complications

You can help prevent or delay the development of problems with your eyes, heart, nerves, and kidneys if you:

• Keep your blood sugar levels close to the normal range.
• Talk to your doctor about taking a low-dose aspirin to prevent a heart attack, a stroke, or other large blood vessel diseases (macrovascular disease).
• Control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Take an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) medicine at the first sign of diabetic nephropathy, even if you do not have high blood pressure.
• Get regular eye exams.
• Take good care of your feet.
• Quit smoking. If you smoke cigarettes, talk with your doctor about ways to quit. Smoking contributes to the early development of diabetes complications.¹⁴ For more information, see the topic Quitting Tobacco Use.