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Ask your health care team if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Before a person develops type 2 diabetes, they usually have
“pre-diabetes,” which means their blood glucose (blood sugar)
levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be
called diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are more likely to
develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years and to have a heart attack
or stroke.
Although Latinos are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, there is
good news. You can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by making
small lifestyle changes in diet and physical activity. Follow
these tips to help you prevent or delay type 2 diabetes:
• Set goals you can meet and start by making small changes.
First, set a goal you can achieve. Add one or two healthy changes
every week. Use NDEP’s
Your
GAME PLAN to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes booklet to
help you stick to your goals and succeed.
• Aim to lose at least 5 to 7 percent of your current weight
– that’s 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. The key to
preventing type 2 diabetes is to lose weight by making healthy
food choices and being physically active. Lose a small amount of
weight by getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day,
five days a week and eating foods lower in calories and fat.
• For support, team up with friends and family to help you
lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Ask your family and
friends to help you stick to your program. Involve them in your
activities. You can help each other move more, eat less, and live
a healthier life. Be active with your family by going on a walk
together after dinner or playing a pick-up game of basketball.
Replace watching TV with an activity that gets everyone moving.
• Make healthy food choices every day. Start with small
changes, like eating brown rice instead of white rice or drinking
low-fat or fat-free milk. Choose carbs that have lots of fiber
such as fresh fruits and vegetables from every color of the
rainbow—red, orange, yellow, white, green, blue, and purple. A
southwestern salad topped with tomatoes, low-fat cheese, black
beans, corn, and low-fat or fat-free sour cream can be a good
choice for a side dish.
• Make time to prepare and cook healthy foods.
Freeze portions so you have healthy meals ready for days when
you’re too tired or don’t have time to cook. Cook with less oil
and butter. Broil or bake with non-stick spray or low-sodium broth
instead. Use herbs and seasonings to add flavor to low-fat dishes.
Instead of salt, give foods a little kick by adding hot sauce or
red pepper flakes.
• Cut down on food portion sizes. The portion size that you
are used to eating may be equal to two or three standard servings
– which equals double or triple the calories and fat! Portion
sizes are often smaller than you think. Compare serving sizes to
everyday objects. For example, one serving of cereal is about the
size of a closed fist. One-half cup of cooked rice or pasta is
about the size of an ice cream scoop.
• Choose water to drink instead of sweetened fruit drinks and
soda. Find a water bottle you really like, such as one that
represents your favorite sports team, and drink water from it
wherever and whenever you can. Drink a glass of water 10 minutes
before your meal to take the edge off your hunger.
• Increase your activity level by walking more often.
Schedule “walking dates” with friends or family members throughout
the week. Organize a walking group with your neighbors or
co-workers. Take your dog – or a friend’s dog – for a brisk walk.
• Build physical activity into your day.
Pick an activity you enjoy that will keep you moving, such as
soccer, bike riding, or swimming. Dance to the beat of NDEP’s
Movimiento
Por Su Vida
CD/DVD
or your favorite music. Take the stairs instead of the elevator to
your office. Deliver a message in person to a co-worker instead of
sending an email.
• For more ways to lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, check
out NDEP’s free resources in English and Spanish. Order the
bilingual
Prevengamos la diabetes tipo 2:
Paso a Paso
tip sheet
by calling 1-888-693-NDEP (6337)
or visit
www.YourDiabetesInfo.org (www.diabetesinformacion.org
en español) and click on the
Small Steps. Big Rewards. Prevent Type
2 Diabetes.
campaign.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services’ National Diabetes Education Program is jointly
sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the support
of more than 200 partner organizations.
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