The prevalence of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, is increasing year by year in China due to changes in diet, lifestyle, and the proliferation of obesity. According to a survey, the prevalence of diabetes among men and women over 20 years of age in China reached 10.6% and 8.8%, respectively, and the overall prevalence has reached 9.7%, while the prevalence of prediabetes, which is a major candidate for diabetes, is as high as 15.5%. Considering the tremendous impact of diabetes and its complications on patients’ families and society as a whole, active prevention of diabetes has become an urgent task nowadays.
The reassuring news is that diabetes is not only treatable, but also preventable, and these are the three keys to preventing the onset of diabetes: screen early, keep your mouth shut, and keep your legs moving. If you do “screen early, keep your mouth shut, and keep your legs open” in your daily life, you can stay away from diabetes.
Early screening – screening for people at risk for diabetes
You are at high risk for diabetes if you have one or more of the following:
- impaired glucose regulation;
- Overweight or obese;
- Age 40 years or older;
- Family history of diabetes;
- Dyslipidemia;
- Hypertension;
- History of gigantic births or gestational diabetes in women;
- Cardiovascular disease due to atherosclerosis;
- History of transient diabetes mellitus caused by steroid hormones;
- Female patients with polycystic ovary syndrome;
- Long-term use of antipsychotics or antidepressants.
Impaired glucose regulation, also known as prediabetes, is the most important group at risk for type 2 diabetes. Impaired glucose regulation is a state of blood glucose between normal and diabetic, and a certain percentage of people with impaired glucose regulation join the ranks of type 2 diabetes each year. The most important thing to do is to get early screening for people at risk for diabetes, and not to wait until you have symptoms of diabetes such as dry mouth, excessive drinking, excessive urination, and weight loss before you think about going to the hospital.
Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is recommended for screening, but if OGTT is difficult, fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose can also be monitored. If the screening result is normal, repeat the test after 3 years. For patients with clearly impaired glucose regulation, lifestyle interventions should be started immediately, and pharmacologic interventions may be indicated if necessary, to avoid progression to type 2 diabetes.
Control your mouth – choose a healthy diet
To effectively prevent the onset of diabetes, it is important to pay attention to the following points in your daily diet:
- First of all, ensure a certain daily intake of coarse grains. The first step is to ensure a daily intake of coarse grains such as cereals with low sugar content and avoid or reduce the consumption of foods with high sugar content.
- The second is to ensure adequate intake of dietary fiber. High-fiber foods such as vegetables and coarse grains can increase satiety, thus reducing the amount of food eaten and facilitating weight control.
- Third, control the daily fat intake. Strictly limit the consumption of foods rich in fat and high cholesterol, such as animal offal, egg yolk, and crab yolk, and avoid all kinds of fried foods.
- Finally, stay away from tobacco and drink alcohol in moderation or not at all.
Get your legs moving-insist on proper exercise
Adhering to regular physical activity such as jogging and swimming can be very beneficial in preventing the onset of diabetes. Proper exercise not only reduces weight, but also increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
It is now well established that obesity is an important risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, so reducing weight through exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes. The body’s ability to lower blood glucose is reduced by insulin, a hormone that lowers blood glucose, so called “insulin resistance” occurs, and insulin resistance is an important mechanism in the development of diabetes.