Losing just 5 pounds could cut your diabetes risk in half

According to the CDC, 88 million Americans are now living with prediabetes and are on the path to a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis in the coming years. Yet, as scary as that number is, it can also be looked at as 88 million cases of diabetes that are preventable with the right steps.

And those steps are exactly what a brand-new study published in the international journal JAMA Internal Medicine has given us…

Small lifestyle changes for the win

The findings come from the Norfolk Diabetes Prevention Study (NDPS) — the largest diabetes prevention research study in the world in the last 30 years. The clinical trial tested practical lifestyle interventions on diabetes prevention, running for over eight years and involving more than 1,000 people with prediabetes at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

And here’s what it all came down to…

Losing just a small amount of weight and staying active could keep you from becoming diabetic.

In fact, the results of the study found that providing support to help people with prediabetes make small changes to their lifestyle, diet and physical activity can almost cut the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in half.

The team found that for every 11 people who received the intervention, one person was prevented from getting Type 2 diabetes — a true breakthrough.

Could you lose just 5 pounds and keep it off to avoid diabetes?

The researchers were able to show that people who lost just two to three kilograms (4.4 to 6.6 pounds) and increased their physical activity over just two years, reduced their risk of Type 2 diabetes by 40 to 47 percent.

However, it’s important to note that the researchers say that for these lifestyle interventions to work, they have to stick.

In other words, even though you only have to lose a little weight, you have to keep it off. And even though you only have to increase your physical activity somewhat, you can fall back into old habits if you want to experience better blood sugar.

When asked about the study, Professor Colin Greaves from the University of Birmingham, who jointly led the development of the NDPS intervention, said: “If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, this approach offers a way to take a different direction in your life — to get off the path to type 2 diabetes and onto the road to a healthier future.”

Easy steps to diabetes prevention

So if you want to keep your blood sugar healthy and ward off diabetes down the road, it’s time to drop a few pounds and get active.

For six simple weight loss tips you’ve never heard of, check out this slideshow.

And if you want to add three supplements that really work when it comes to weight loss try:

• Probiotics — These good bacteria can help you banish belly fat in as little as three to 12 weeks.
• Caffeine — Scientifically proven to boost your metabolism, increase energy and suppress your appetite, green coffee bean extract also offers chlorogenic acid, which has been the power to lower carb absorption to aid in weight loss.
• Fiber — Studies have proven that low fiber diets lead to weight gain. Conversely, eating fiber is associated with higher levels of a gut-healthy bacteria, called Bacteroidetes, which flourishes in the guts of lean people.

Grab your diabetes protection today through small lifestyle interventions to stay blood sugar healthy tomorrow.

Sources:

Prediabetes – Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes — CDC

A few kilograms weight loss nearly halves the risk of diabetes — EurekAlert!

3 WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS THAT REALLY WORK — Easy Health Options