32 | March• 2019
DIABETES: WHAT’S NEW AND WHAT’S NEXT
Making healthy food choices:
following an eating plan that is
lower in kilojoules and total fat.
Managing cholesterol levels:
choosing foods that contain less satu-
rated fats; ideally less than 10 per cent
of your total energy should come from
saturated fats.
According to British diabetes
expert Dr Stephen
Lawrence, manag-
ing portion sizes and
reducing fat are key- “This involves no
medication at all.”
Dr David Nathan,
professor of medi-
cine at Harvard Med-
ical School, adds,
“Fat cells, particu-
larly at the abdomen,
release hormones
that increase risk for
diabetes and it takes
only a small amount
of weight loss to
lower risk. We found
that dropping just
0.9 kilograms lowers your odds for
diabetes over three years by about 16
per cent.”
Metformin
This drug has been found to reduce
the incidence of type 2 diabetes
among people with impaired glucose
tolerance. It’s widely prescribed for
people with prediabetes in Australia,
New Zealand and parts of Asia such asto high-tech devices, have shown
promise. It’s too soon to declare
victory, but these smart lifestyle tips
and medical breakthroughs have
given people with diabetes winning
strategies for today and considerable
hopeforthefuture.
FOR PREDIABETESPrevention
For those considered
to be at a higher risk
of developing type 2
diabetes, large-scale
randomised control
trials have shown
that in up to 58 per
cent of cases, the
condition can be
delayed or even pre-
vented through life-
style changes.
HOW THIS WORKS
Losing weight: a
weight loss of as lit-
tle as 5-10 per cent
of your total body
weight can prevent type 2 diabetes in
up to nearly 60 per cent of people.
Not smoking: the average smoker is
44 per cent more likely to develop di-
abetes. It takes 20 years after quitting
for your risks of diabetes to reflect that
of a non-smoker.
Regular physical activity: as little
as 30 minutes exercise, such as a walk
five times a week, can reduce risks of
diabetes by 30 per cent.
“IT TAKES
ONLY a small
amount of
weight loss to
lower the risk
of diabetes”