N the age of 25 years has either diabetes or a condition known
DIABETES VICTORIA Since 1953 Diabetes Victoria has been the leading charity and peak consumer body working to reduce the impact of diabetes . Diabetes Victoria is committed to minimising the impact of diabetes in the community , helping all people affected by diabetes and contributing to the search for a cure . Diabetes Victoria runs the Life program , which helps people with pre-diabetes to delay or reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by making lifestyle changes . Find out more about their group and telephone health coaching courses at www . lifeprogram . org . au or www . diabetesvic . org . au
NUTRITION AND PRE-DIABETES
Diabetes Victoria explains the relationship between nutrition and pre-diabetes .
early one in four adults over
N the age of 25 years has either diabetes or a condition known
as ‘ pre-diabetes ’. This is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes .
Types of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes
The cause of type 1 diabetes isn ’ t clearly understood and although there is a lot of research happening , at this stage there is no certain way to prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes .
Type 2 diabetes
There is very good evidence to show however , that type 2 diabetes can be prevented . By following a healthy diet , maintaining a healthy weight and doing regular exercise , almost one in six cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented .
Top tips to help prevent pre-diabetes
1 Reduce your kilojoule intake Carrying excess weight is the single most important cause of type 2 diabetes . The good news is that you don ’ t need to lose a lot of weight to make a big difference – losing just 7 to 10 per cent of your current weight can reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by half . If you are overweight , aim to decrease the kilojoules ( energy ) you consume each day . This will help you to lose weight . Dietary surveys have shown that Australians eat too many discretionary
( junk ) foods , which are very high in energy and provide very few nutrients . Other people might have a healthy diet but eat too much . Eating large portions of food , even if it is healthy will still increase your weight if your body doesn ’ t need this extra food .
2 Choose low glycaemic index carbohydrate foods The glycaemic index ( GI ) is a measure of how quickly carbohydrate foods are digested and released into the bloodstream . Low GI carbohydrate foods enter the bloodstream more slowly and result in a lower rise in blood glucose and also insulin . Diets that contain low GI carbohydrate foods have been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes .
3 Choose high fibre foods Studies have shown that a diet high in fibre can help to reduce the risk of diabetes . To increase the fibre in your diet , choose wholegrain breads and cereals such as heavy seed breads , oats and brown rice instead of white bread , refined cereals or sweet biscuits . Fruits and vegetables are also good sources ; aim for two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables each day .
4 Drink water Sugary drinks have been associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes . Try swapping soft drink , iced tea drinks , flavoured waters and fruit juice with water , tea , coffee or plain mineral or soda water . In moderation , diet beverages may be a good alternative also .
5 Increase your good fats You can reduce your risk of diabetes by replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats . Saturated fats are found in many animal products such as fatty meats , full fat dairy foods , butter , deep fried take away foods and also bakery items . Unsaturated fats are found in sunflower , soybean , olive , canola and sesame oils , avocado , seeds , nuts and oily fish .
6 Limit your intake of red meat and processed meats Frequent intake of red meat , particularly processed meat ( such as bacon , sausages and fatty deli meats ) has been shown to be associated with diabetes risk . Choose lean cuts of red meat and include other sources of protein in your diet such as seafood , nuts , tofu and legumes .
What about exercise ?
There are many benefits of exercise – it not only helps you to lose weight but it also makes your muscles better at processing glucose ( sugar ). A brisk walk for 30 minutes each day can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30 per cent . You should aim to do 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking , swimming or bike riding . Strength training ( also called ‘ resistance training ’) makes your body more sensitive to insulin and helps to build strong muscles , which are important for long term weight loss . Examples of strength training exercises are lifting weights , using a resistance band , squats , lunges and plank holds . Aim to do strength exercises two times per week . Inactivity promotes diabetes so on the days that you can ’ t find time to exercise just try to be more active in your daily tasks and avoid long periods of sitting .
AUTUMN 2017 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE 19