More than 550,000 people in Alabama have diabetes, and even more have prediabetes. This represents 15.7 percent of the state’s population. Prevention is important because type 2 diabetes is a serious, chronic health condition. It can lead to other serious health issues such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure. By preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes, the risk for all those other conditions can be lowered.
A description of prediabetes and suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for people with prediabetes and those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes to delay or prevent its onset are given below. These suggested steps are realistic ways for individuals to consider making changes that will benefit their health through healthy eating and physical activity:
- Prediabetes is a condition in which individuals have blood glucose or A1c levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
- People with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- The CDC estimates that 88 million adults have prediabetes in the United States and that 8 in 10 of those people do not know they have the condition.
- Studies have shown that people with prediabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and, in some cases, return their blood glucose levels to normal.
- Attending a structured lifestyle change program can decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes for those with prediabetes.
Step 1: Figure out what needs to change.
The first step is finding a routine to change for the better. To assess where you stand now when it comes to nutrition and physical activity, write down your answers to these questions to figure out which of your habits are helpful and which habits you might want to work on.
Think about how you eat in a typical week
- Do other people, such as friends, family, or coworkers, influence what you eat?
- Do you plan your meals ahead of time or decide what to eat at the moment?
- How comfortable are you with reading a nutrition label?
- How often do you eat out, and where?
- What makes it easier for you to eat healthier? What makes it harder?
Think about how you move in a typical week
- How much of your commute is spent walking or biking?
- How much time do you make for physical activity around the house, such as walking the dog, cleaning the house, or gardening?
- How much time do you dedicate each week for physical activity, such as walking, biking, or swimming?
- What are your favorite ways to be active?
- What makes it easier or more enjoyable for you to move more? What makes it harder?
Step 2: Plan a new routine. Starting a new routine helps you make a positive change that will stick. Be specific and realistic. Plan small changes to your routines instead of big changes that are hard to stick with.
Step 3: Find a cue or hint for when to use your new routine. Your cue could be one of these:
- A specific time or place
- A feeling or emotion
- Other people in your life
- An action right before or right after a regular routine
The Alabama Diabetes Program focuses on increasing community access to resources that assist with managing and preventing diabetes. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support helps people with diabetes implement and sustain behaviors that are important to managing the condition on an ongoing basis. Public health district outreach coordinators who are social workers in the Northwestern, West Central, and Southwestern districts conduct outreach to support these programs.
Visit Are You At Risk? to see risk factors and take the online Prediabetes Risk Test, and view additional information on ADPH's Diabetes website.
