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Exercise and life style habits versus type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body can't properly utilize the insulin it produces to regulate blood sugar, preventing your body from getting the fuel it needs. This type of diabetes is the most common, and usually develops gradually after age 40. Symptoms include excess thirst, urination, fatigue, and weight loss.
Dietary and lifestyle factors are known to heavily influence the development of type 2 diabetes, prompting the authors of a recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine to determine the proportion of cases of type 2 diabetes that could be avoided through low-risk behavior. Nearly 85,000 women completed questionnaires and were examined over 16 years of follow-up. The authors defined five variables of low-risk women: a healthy weight-to-height ratio; a diet high in cereal fiber/"healthy" fat and low in "unhealthy" fat/simple sugars; a half-hour or more of moderate daily exercise; nonsmoking; and consumption of some alcohol.
Ninety-one percent of diabetes cases were attributable to having negative lifestyle behaviors in all five areas. When only diet, weight, and exercise were considered, 87% of cases were preventable. Being overweight was the single-greatest predictor of type 2 diabetes.
Almost all cases of type 2 diabetes can be avoided through a healthy lifestyle. Keep your body weight at a safe level by exercising several times per week and limiting the amount you eat. Also, eat lots of cereals, whole grains, and the healthy fats found in nuts, fish, and olive oil. Avoid sugary foods and meals loaded with dairy or meat fats.
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