As of 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 79 million people in the U.S. are living with prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, people with prediabetes have a 50 percent increased risk for heart disease and stroke compared to people with normal blood sugar levels, and they have a higher likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes. However, with appropriate nutrition and lifestyle changes, those with prediabetes can postpone or eliminate the progression of the condition.
Risk Factors
As with many other diseases and conditions, there are both non-controllable and controllable risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes. Non-controllable factors include family history, age and racial background, while controllable factors include body weight, exercise level, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Generally, if you are overweight and over 45 years of age, or you have a number of other risk factors, you should ask your doctor to test you.
Weight Loss
Following a diet that encourages weight loss is a key step in managing prediabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a weight loss of 5 to 7 percent of your original body weight, in combination with physical exercise, can decrease the chance of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 58 percent. Weight loss occurs due to a caloric deficit, where you burn more calories than you consume, so foods lower in calories, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy products, are good choices. Remember, losing weight takes time and patience. A loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week is considered a healthy rate of weight loss.
Heart Health
If you have prediabetes, you have an increased risk for heart disease, making a heart-healthy diet especially important. A diet rich in fiber and low in saturated and trans fats will help lower both total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Good sources of fiber are whole grains, beans, and whole fruits and vegetables. Choose lean cuts of meat, cut away visible fat, and use ground meat that is at least 90 percent lean. Additionally, eating fatty fish once or twice per week provides heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, helping to cut the risk of heart disease.
Blood Sugar Control
Many people with prediabetes are insulin-resistant, meaning their bodies have a hard time transporting sugar from their blood into cells. This is one of the main reasons for high blood sugar levels. Choosing the right carbohydrate sources and spacing meals and snacks throughout the day helps blood sugar levels stay relatively stable. Good carbohydrate choices include whole-grain products, beans, whole fruits, and low-fat milk and yogurt. Avoid carbohydrates that are processed or have added sugar. Also, try spacing your intake of carbohydrates throughout the day, at least three hours apart, to prevent spikes in your blood sugar levels.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Diabetes: Successes and Opportunities for Population-Based Prevention and Control At a Glance 2011
- American Diabetes Association: Prediabetes FAQs
- American Diabetes Association: Your Risk
- MayoClinic.com; Omega-3 in Fish: How Eating Fish Helps Your Heart; December 2010
- Harvard School of Public Health: Carbohydrates: Good Carbs Guide the Way
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