Seemingly every week, a new study touts a new health breakthrough or warning. You know the cycle. One month you read that a glass of wine a night is good for you. Then the very next month another study says that nightly glass of wine is bad for your health. As a result, we the public are left shrugging our collective shoulders, befuddled by the dos and don’ts when it comes to managing our health.
Wouldn’t it be nice to know that some of the science about our bodies and health is just plain right? Well, there is at least one – a big one in fact. Weight loss can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes!
Scientific research, including a recent five-year study titled, “Effect of Weight Loss with Lifestyle Intervention on Risk of Diabetes,” agrees on the fact that type 2 diabetes can easily be prevented with weight loss.
In the study, half of the 1,079 participants were treated with an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILS) while the other half was treated with a placebo. The ILS was defined as a set of activities the participants were asked to follow, including exercising, losing body fat, and lowering overall weight. The participants had three years to perform these activities and were then observed for another two years. The results of this intensive study were clear. Regardless of race, gender, or age (25-84), on average, there was a 16% reduction in diabetes risk per 2.2 pounds lost. For every 5% reduction in fat, diabetes incidence was reduced by 25%. Furthermore, there was a 46% reduction in diabetes incidence for participants who participated in 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
The study’s final conclusion was “weight loss, largely determined by changes in diet and exercise, is the primary factor resulting in reduced diabetes incidence.”
Similar studies, such as the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study and the Nurse’s Health Study reached the same conclusion. So while other studies might leave you scratching your head as to what works and what doesn’t, the evidence for type 2 diabetes is overwhelming and refreshingly to-the-point. If you are at risk of developing this serious health condition, which can lead to kidney failure, blindness, limb amputations, and even death, you now know what to do.
However, knowing is only half the battle. A health-oriented lifestyle change is no small task. Many of us need support and education on healthy lifestyle changes to achieve lasting weight loss and wellness. Medi-Weightloss Clinics® can provide the nutrition and exercise education you need to help you lose weight and improve your overall health. If you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes, Medi-Weightloss Clinics® can still help. Call 1.877.MED.LOSS and ask us about Acute DM, a weight management and fitness program for diabetics.
Written by Ryan Hirsch