Diabetes is a growing problem, beginning to afflict people younger and earlier than ever. There are nearly twenty-five million Americans affected, and about a quarter of that total more that don’t even realize they are. While there are genetic and other inherited risk factors, the worst and most obvious ones are behavioral. Lifestyle plays a huge role. Weight and activity are obvious, as is diet. By managing these behaviors, many who would otherwise become diabetic can avoid it entirely.
Key Takeaways:
- Twenty-four million Americans already have diabetes, and six million more do but aren’t aware of it.
- Diet and exercise are the easiest and most effective ways to not only treat diabetes, but manage it once present.
- Cutting sugars out of one’s diet means more than just watching sweets; switch to whole grains instead of processed carbohydrate sources.
“The good news is that type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. About 9 cases in 10 could be avoided by taking several simple steps: keeping weight under control, exercising more, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking.”
Read more: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/diabetes-prevention/preventing-diabetes-full-story/