9 ways to lower your risk of diabetes
Find out how you can help prevent diabetes and prediabetes by making simple lifestyle changes.
Jan, 2026
1 of 10
Slide 1
Finding out you have borderline diabetes or prediabetes can be distressing. (Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not quite high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes.)
There's an upside to receiving this news, though: It means there's time to make changes to your lifestyle to improve your blood sugar levels. Adopting new, healthier habits can help keep you from developing type 2 diabetes. That means you can avoid its complications, which may include heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, and more. Even small changes can make a big difference in your health. Here’s how to get started.
Written byMichael Gollust.
Medically reviewed byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prediabetes – Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Page last reviewed December 30 + 15
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prediabetes – Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Page last reviewed December 30, 2022.
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Preventing Diabetes Problems. Accessed on April 21, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes: Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes. Last reviewed June 20, 2022.
- Banaszak M, Górna I, Przysławski J. Non-Pharmacological Treatments for Insulin Resistance: Effective Intervention of Plant-Based Diets-A Critical Review. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 27;14(7):1400.
- Gołąbek KD, Regulska-Ilow B. Dietary support in insulin resistance: An overview of current scientific reports. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2019 Nov;28(11):1577-1585.
- American Diabetes Association. Myths about Diabetes. Accessed on April 21, 2023.
- Adeva-Andany MM, González-Lucán M, Fernández-Fernández C, et al. Effect of diet composition on insulin sensitivity in humans. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2019 Oct;33:29-38.
- Chen Z, Zuurmond MG, van der Schaft N, et al. Plant versus animal based diets and insulin resistance, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: the Rotterdam Study. Eur J Epidemiol. 2018 Sep;33(9):883-893.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Your Way to Preventing Type 2 Diabetes. Accessed on April 21, 2023.
- Qian F, Riddle MC, Wylie-Rosett J, et al. Red and Processed Meats and Health Risks: How Strong Is the Evidence? Diabetes Care. 2020 Feb;43(2):265-271.
- World Health Organization. Q&A - Cancer: Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat. October 26, 2015.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How much physical activity do adults need? Page last reviewed June 2, 2022.
- American Diabetes Association. Blood Glucose and Exercise. Accessed July 10, 2023.
- Nishi SK, Viguiliouk E, Kendall CWC, et al. Nuts in the Prevention and Management of Type 2 Diabetes. Nutrients. 2023 Feb 9;15(4):878.
- US Department of Agriculture. Nuts, walnuts, English. April 1, 2019.
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The Impact of Poor Sleep on Type 2 Diabetes. March 17, 2021.
Recommended for you
How can I be more consistent?