Back to What Is Prediabetes or Borderline Diabetes?

Lifestyle changes can help many people with prediabetes to delay -- or even prevent -- the onset of full-blown diabetes. Changes that can help prevent diabetes include losing weight (excess fat – not muscle) to bring total weight to a near-normal range, exercising regularly, and eating balanced al and nutritional meals.

In a large research study called the Diabetes Prevention Program, the following lifestyle changes reduced the development of diabetes over three years by 58%. For people aged 60 or older, the reduction was an even greater 71%.

- Weight control: Obese and overweight people are at high risk of having prediabetes turn into diabetes. Losing excess weight to bring weight within normal ranges for your height and build can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Even losing 5% to 10% of excess body weight (fat) can help.
- Exercise. Studies have shown that regular moderate exercise helps prevent -- and manage -- diabetes.
- Nutrition. Healthy nutritious meals that mix a balance of low-fat protein, vegetables and whole grains can help prevent prediabetes from becoming real diabetes. Calorie control, portion sizes (no super-sizing), and low-sugar, low-carbohydrate choices are key. Eating adequate fiber every day also helps.
- Blood pressure control. Because hypertension is associated with type 2 diabetes, keeping blood pressure within or close to normal ranges can help delay -- and control -- diabetes.

Your doctor may also advise lowering any other heart disease risks you may have, such as smoking and high cholesterol levels.

In short, you can control your prediabetes by adhering to a healthier lifestyle. If prediabetes does become type 2 diabetes, these lifestyle changes -- weight control, exercise, nutrition, and blood pressure control -- build the platform for managing diabetes for life. A healthy lifestyle can also help you prevent or delay the need to begin using medications such as insulin to control blood sugar levels. 

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