A study found that lifestyle changes can prevent and even reverse diabetes.
Recent evidence has shown, based on cross-sectional and intervention studies, that it is possible to prevent diabetes through some small changes in lifestyle. Their study, published in the journal Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, analyzed 200 people diagnosed with prediabetes.
Prediabetes is a medical condition in which the blood glucose is elevated, but the numbers are not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a more severe form of health condition that may result from prediabetes and may likely occur later in life.
The researchers split the subjects into two groups: an observation group that only received routine management and a treatment group to which more vigorous lifestyle changes were communicated.
This counseling was not generic in any way, and it surely cannot be mimicked in front of some cheap webcam. It was focused on the consumption of foods and on movements during which the clients would successfully follow particular programs adapted to them.
For instance, a person spending a lot of time at a desk may be told to take a walk after sitting for hours or after each break; an old person may be recommended various easy exercises such as daily walking or small, gentle yoga. It was therefore likely that the participants would follow the instituted changes since the suggestions given were relevant to them and suited their abilities.
Intervention group activities:
- Exercise: 150 minutes of walking per week, adjusted depending on profession and age (for example, old men participate in low-intensity exercises every day, while working-class people avoid the lift to the office and sit for hours).
- Diet: Reduced portion sizes; specifically, limited added sugars, refined carbohydrates, saturated and trans fats, while increasing fiber.
There was so much at stake. The rate at which prediabetes turned into diabetes was much higher among the controls (44.6%) than in experimental patients (7.9%). Moreover, it is worth noting that out of all those who had been assigned to special care, 34.9% managed to reverse their prediabetic condition, as opposed to 6.2% in the control modality.
There were significant improvements in blood sugar control within the intervention group as well. The fasting and two-hour glucose results in theirs decreased, whereas the control group showed an increased spike.
These results show that controlling your health by modifying your lifestyle is a very effective way of avoiding or even reversing prediabetes. This is especially vital for those at increased risk who can gain much from preventive actions.
We could eliminate many cases of diabetes in the future through interventions focusing on normalizing blood sugar levels. However, the study’s non-randomized design limits its findings despite adding precious evidence to the existing pool, which has made lifestyle modifications a crucial part of diabetes control measures.
