Diet and Exercise Can Turn Pre-Diabetes Around

Diet and Exercise Can Turn Pre-Diabetes Around
Wednesday April 25, 2007
by Debra Manzella, R.N., About.com Guide to Diabetes

People diagnosed with pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by losing just 5 to 7 percent of their body weight and exercising regularly, according to a clinical study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

The study, "The Diabetes Prevention Program," (DPP) took place in 2002, and looked at whether a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in people who had pre-diabetes could be prevented or delayed either by diet and exercise changes or by taking an oral diabetes medication.

The results of the DPP study showed that a 5- to 7-percent weight loss reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent in the lifestyle intervention group. The group that received metformin had a 31 percent lower occurrence of type 2 diabetes.

Of the over 21 million people in the U.S. who have diabetes, 95 percent have type 2. Obesity is one of the major risk factors for type 2. People who are obese have five times the risk of diabetes than those who are a normal weight. Other risk factors include a sedentary lifestyle, family history and ethnicity.

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