A recent article in the British Medical Journal added more evidence as to the importance of lifestyle changes in protecting against Type 2 diabetes. Changing to a healthier lifestyle appears to be at least as effective as taking prescription drugs to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to the study.

Behavior changes can include:
Switching to a healthier diet
Increasing the amount of time you exercise

If you have already been diagnosed with the disease, these actions are also valuable in keeping your condition stable. On average, lifestyle changes helped to reduce by half the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the study. Lifestyle changes were also less likely to produce adverse side-effects.

As it is, throughout the world, diabetes is a growing problem in England, with approximately 1.3 million people afflicted with diabetes, and about 5% of the total health care resources in the country used for the care of people with diabetes.

Global rates of Type 2 diabetes are likely to double by 2030; thus, interventions to prevent the condition will have an important role to play in future health policies. However, these interventions rely heavily upon the individual’s ability to manage his or her own behavior. No one can perform self-management actions but you.