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Diabetes can affect anyone of any age. Assessing your risk of developing diabetes will help you to make the lifestyle changes needed.
You are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes if you:
- have a parent or sibling with diabetes
- have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23.0 kg/m2 or higher
- lead an inactive (sedentary) lifestyle
- have high blood pressure
- have abnormal blood cholesterol/lipid levels
- have a history of gestational diabetes
- are 40 years old and above
- have impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose
If you have any of the risk factors of Type 2 Diabetes, Take charge of your health today. Lead an active and healthier lifestyle to reduce or delay your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Things that you should do:
Visit your doctor
See your family doctor who may do a fasting blood glucose test. This test will determine if you have diabetes or are at the pre-diabetes stage. Knowing the result of your blood glucose test will give you a better position to take preventive action.
Maintain a healthy weight
Excess body fat prevents insulin from working properly. If you are overweight, losing about 5 to 7% of your body weight can delay or prevent the onset of diabetes. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) using the formula below and assess your risk of diabetes using the BMI chart.
» Click here to calculate your BMI
| BMI (kg/m2) (for adults)
|
Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes |
|
27.5 and above
|
High Risk |
| 23.0 - 27.4 |
Moderate Risk |
18.5 - 22.9
|
Low Risk (healthy range)
|
|
Less than 18.5
|
Risk of nutritional deficiency
diseases
and osteoporosis |
Lead an active lifestyle
The key to maintaining a healthy body weight is to engage in regular physical activity. Staying physically active can help reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Find ways to incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine. Start gradually, but work towards getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day on 5 or more days a week.
What physical activity and how much?
Take up a physical activity that you enjoy so that you engage in it regularly. Involve your family or friends for motivation and support on days when you don't feel like exercising.
Start slowly when you have not been physically active for a long time. Consult your doctor if you have a medical condition.
Adopt Healthy Eating Habits
This involves healthy food choices and using the Healthy Diet Pyramid as a guide to plan your meals.
- Eat a variety of food from the four food groups as well as within each food group. Choose more from the base of the pyramid and less from the top.
- Food from the tip of the pyramid (fats, oil, sugar and salt) should be used in small amounts to flavour food.
- Eat 2 servings of fruit and 2 serving of vegetables, as they are good sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Include a variety of brightly coloured veggies.
- Choose wholegrain food products, as they provide complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals (beneficial plant substances) that are important for good health.
- Go for skinless poultry, lean meat and fish. Replace meat dishes with tofu, peas and lentils on some days.
- Limit food which are high in fat and added sugars (e.g. cakes, cookies)
- Limit intake of saturated & trans fat and replace them with monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
- Be mindful of your portion sizes of food you eat. Have your meals regular as skipping meals may lead to overeating at subsequent meals.
Learn to relax
Stress can raise your blood pressure and blood glucose levels. Learn to relax by engaging in leisure activities (e.g. strolling your pet in the park, listening to soft music, painting, playing an instrument or reading a book).
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