Lifestyle intervention involving exercises and calorie restriction by avoiding junk food for at least six months, can help you cut down the progression of prediabetes to type-2 diabetes by about 58 per cent, a study has said, giving a ray of hope to the people on the borderline diabetes which is on the increase.
Prediabetes is a stage before diabetes that refers to impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance, or a combination of both. . In this case, your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but still not high enough to be considered as a sign of diabetes.
Sedentary work and unhealthy food patterns lead to prediabetes, and lifestyle modification is important.
The study “Impact of lifestyle intervention among prediabetic individuals” was conducted on 125 participants. The results were encouraging: None of them who were put on the intervention for a six months study period had developed diabetes.
“The degree of weight loss was less than 1% in the present study at the completion of six months which was achieved through a strict diabetic diet – low calorie and low fat – with regular exercise,” said lead authors R. Grace Janet Mary Ann and K. Karthiga from Research Centre of Home Science, Fatima College, Madurai. The study is published in the latest edition of Current Science.
The strength of the present study includes conducting diabetes awareness programmes once a month and monitoring blood glucose levels regularly with follow-ups for adhering to lifestyle modification through diet, regular exercise, meditation and avoiding junk and fast food, said the researchers.
The study holds importance as at least around 5–10% of people with prediabetes progress to diabetes every year. The number of diabetic people is predicted to increase to over 300 million in 2025. It is a warning signal for those who do not follow lifestyle modification. Prediabetes is associated with a high risk of developing diabetes and other complications like blindness, heart attack and stroke.
The participants were given a strict diet and exercise chart, after which they were followed up for six months.
The main aim of dietary interventions is to include low-calorie, low-fat, low-carbohydrate and high-fibre-rich foods in the daily diet of people, viz. 55% carbohydrates, 25% protein and 20% fat. Further, the consumption of sweets, fried items, cold beverages, fast food and junk food should be cut down. Limited intake of chicken and fish in a gravy form, consumption of egg white twice weekly, proper intake of mid-morning snacks, maintaining regular food timings, avoiding food at parties and functions can also reduce the risk of diabetes. These can be substituted by insisting on consuming more vegetables and low-calorie snacks like cucumber, buttermilk, popcorn, vegetable salad, etc, explained the researchers.
