Scientists studying diabetes do not yet completing understand all the factors governing the disease. What makes one person get diabetes, while another person does not? This puzzling question is complicated by the fact that diabetes appears in several forms. Most people (90%) with diabetes have Type 2; Type 1 diabetes is the second most common form.

Individuals at risk for diabetes and those already suffering from it are lucky because many lifestyle choices can help prevent or control the condition. Of course, factors like genetics are not alterable, but healthy lifestyle changes can benefit even people with a genetic risk for diabetes.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Although some individuals are more genetically prone to obesity than others, lifestyle choices play a significant role in most obesity. With proper diet and exercise, BMI (Body Mass Index) can be lowered.

People with a BMI of 27 or higher can be at high risk for diabetes. Keep in mind that a high BMI does not always indicate obesity. Pregnant women and highly muscular people may have a high BMI without being truly obese, so people with high BMI’s should be examined for other indicators of obesity.

For reasons not clearly understood, where body fat is carried plays a greater role in the development of diabetes than merely being obese. People who store fat more around the middle of their body are at greater risk for diabetes than those whose weight is more evenly distributed. Fat storage is determined primarily by genetics, but diet and exercise can also control it.

Exercise certainly burns calories. But even the resting state burns about 70 calories per hour just to power metabolic processes. But regular movement helps stimulate the lymph system, strengthen and loosen muscles, oxygenate tissues and brings with it many other positive benefits. Exercise helps control blood pressure, a factor in contracting diabetes. It helps regulate glucose levels, which have a major role in the disease since excess glucose in the blood is a defining attribute of diabetes. It alters cholesterol levels, another risk factor for contracting the condition.

Exercise and diet are powerful. They can give you significant control over your risk of developing diabetes even if you have several unchangeable risk factors.

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