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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

Type 1 diabetes can't be prevented. However, the same healthy lifestyle choices that help treat prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can help prevent them.

  • Eat healthy foods. Choose foods low in fat and calories. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to prevent boredom.
  • Get more physical activity. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim laps. If you can't fit in a long workout, break it up into smaller sessions spread throughout the day.
  • Lose excess pounds. If you're overweight, losing even 5 percent of your body weight — for example, 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) if you weigh 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) — can reduce the risk of diabetes. To keep your weight in a healthy range, focus on permanent changes to your eating and exercise habits. Motivate yourself by remembering the benefits of losing weight, such as a healthier heart, more energy and improved self-esteem.

Sometimes medication is an option as well. Oral diabetes drugs such as metformin (Glucophage) may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes — but healthy lifestyle choices remain essential.

Coping and support
References
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  6. Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes? National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/riskfortype2/. Accessed Nov. 30, 2010.
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  13. Gestational diabetes. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/gestational_diabetes.cfm. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
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  17. Natural Medicines in the Clinical Management of Diabetes. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
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  19. Health care guideline: Routine prenatal Care. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. 2010. http://www.icsi.org/prenatal_care_4/prenatal_care__routine__full_version__2.htm. Accessed Feb. 1, 2011.
  20. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Practice Bulletin. Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists. Number 30, September 2001 (replaces Technical Bulletin Number 200, December 1994). Gestational diabetes. Obstetrics and gynecology. 2001;98:525.
  21. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Use of hepatitis B vaccine for adults with diabetes mellitus: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2011:60;1709.
DS01121 Jan. 25, 2012

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