Can You Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?

Medical researchers estimate more than 1 in 3 American adults are prediabetic. Unfortunately, about 90% of people with prediabetes aren’t aware they have the condition, and if not treated, prediabetes progresses into Type 2 diabetes.

At Wasatch Peak Family Practice & Oceans Contours in Layton, Utah, many of our patients want to know if they can avoid contracting type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease that prevents your body from controlling your blood sugar. Our diabetes specialists put their heads together to explain how the disease works and whether it’s preventable.     

What is Type 2 diabetes?

The foods you eat fuel your body by converting the glucose (sugar) they contain into energy. Before that can happen, however, your body needs insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. 

For people with diabetes, making or using insulin the right way is impossible, so your body can’t convert the sugar. This leads to a buildup of sugar in your blood, which can cause many problematic health conditions and can even be fatal.  

There are different types of diabetes. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are the most common, but only about 5% of people with diabetes have Type 1, which is an autoimmune disorder that prevents your body from making insulin and isn’t preventable. 

Type 2 diabetes, the most pervasive form of the disease, includes more than 90% of diabetics. This type of diabetes isn’t an autoimmune disease. Instead, it’s the result of several different factors, including your genes and your lifestyle. 

Unlike those with Type 1 diabetes, people with Type 2 diabetes can make insulin but aren’t able to use the hormone as needed. For Type 2 diabetics, the chronic high levels of blood glucose trigger the pancreas to make more insulin.  

The increased insulin becomes less and less effective over time, triggering symptoms of diabetes. However, symptoms appear slowly, and many people don’t know they have Type 2 diabetes until diagnosed by their provider. 

Is Type 2 diabetes preventable?

To understand whether Type 2 diabetes is preventable, it’s important to take a closer look at the risk factors for the disease. In addition to age (being over 45), the factors that make it more likely you’ll develop Type 2 diabetes include: 

• Being obese or overweight
• Leading a mostly sedentary lifestyle
• Having hypertension (even when managed)
• Having high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
• A family history of diabetes
• Personal history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Being a smoker

The biggest risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, however, is being diagnosed as insulin resistant or prediabetic. At least 88 million American adults are prediabetic, and many children under 18 also have the condition.

While being told you have insulin resistance or prediabetes can be scary, it’s actually an opportunity to reclaim your health by making key lifestyle changes. Some steps to take to prevent Type 2 diabetes include:

• Keeping track of your blood sugar levels (e.g., A1C test)
• Exercising regularly
• Making significant dietary changes by cutting out processed foods and eating more whole foods, especially fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and healthy fats, like avocados, nuts and seeds
• Losing weight so can are a more healthy body weight
• Quitting smoking if you smoke
• Avoiding alcohol and other beverages high in sugar

If you’re prediabetic or insulin-resistant, it’s also important to have regular check-ins with your provider to monitor your disease and make suggestions to help you continue to improve your health. 

What about treatments for Type 2 diabetes?

For most people with Type 2 diabetes, the best treatment is to make lifestyle changes. Your Wasatch Peak Family Practice & Oceans Contours provider helps you create a plan for adopting a healthy diet and incorporating regular physical activity. 

While these interventions work well for most people with Type 2 diabetes, sometimes medication or insulin is needed. No matter the details of your personalized treatment plan, our providers monitor your condition and help you manage or reverse the disease. 

If you have prediabetes or are concerned you’re at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the specialists at Wasatch Peak Family Practice & Oceans Contours can help. Contact our Layton, Utah, office to schedule a consultation or message us online now.