Information Kit - Prevention

How can I prevent diabetes?

Being overweight (especially if the weight is concentrated around the mid-section) is a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. With proper nutrition and regular physical activity, you can reduce your risk of getting type 2. Healthy eating and regular physical activity also helps those with diabetes to help manage the disease.

Physical activity

Studies have suggested that physical activity can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by over 50%.

The benefits of being active

People who do not engage in physical activity or maintain an active lifestyle face a greater risk of type 2 diabetes. Being active regularly helps improve overall health and quality of life, including physical, emotional and social well being.

How do I become more active?

Active living is a way of life in which physical activity is valued and integrated into daily life. Walking and exercise are unstructured, low-cost activities that can be done outside facilities and fit into most schedules. Build physical activity into your daily life - at home, at school, at work, at play. Choose activities that interest you and appeal to you. The best way to keep going, is to choose activities that are easy to fit into your schedule and that could be fun at the same time.

How much do I need?

Research has shown that modest changes in diet and exercise - maintained over time - can significantly lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Brisk walking for 30 minutes, or similar activity, five times a week, can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Active living is integral to the lives of people of ALL ages. Those adults over the age of 60, with the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes, have been found to benefit positively from increasing their daily physical activity.

www.diabetes.gc.ca

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, (2002)

ISBN 0-662-66962-2
Cat. No. H39-620/2002-11