Prevent diabetes with these three simple lifestyle changes

Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by adopting a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining a normal body weight.

Occurrence of up to 80% of diabetes can be prevented or delayed through population-based interventions such as regular physical activity, eating healthy and maintaining a normal body weight, health officials said today. “Simple lifestyle measures have been shown to be effective in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes -- achieve and maintain healthy body weight, be physically active, eat a healthy diet and avoid tobacco use,” Henk Bekadam, WHO Representative to India said during a technical briefing to announce the theme for World Health Day 2016.

A healthy lifestyle is all you need to keep type 2 diabetes at bay. (Shutterstock)

Regular exercising and maintaing body weight helps prevent type 2 diabetes. (Shutterstock)

An estimated 69.2 million Indians are diabetics as per the International Diabetes Federation Atlas 2015. Among the population aged between 20 and 70 years, 8.7% are estimated to have diabetes. However, nearly half of the population with diabetes is unaware about their disease.

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In 2014, out of an estimated 9.8 million deaths, 2% were due to diabetes and its complications. “Early screening, increased access to health care services, affordable diagnosis and treatment and patient empowerment for self-management are also vital components of the control of diabetes,” Bekadam said.

Number of diabetes deaths in India between the age of ages 30-69 is 79,500 in males and 51,700 in females. “There is good evidence that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by adopting a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining a normal body weight. Occurrence of up to 80% of diabetes can be prevented or delayed through such population-based interventions,” Damodar Bachani, deputy commissioner, Health Ministry said.