By Rosanne Rust

www.rosannerust.com

Pre-diabetes is a serious medical condition that occurs when a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. According to the recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program study, people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range. This is good news.

The DDP study showed that while some medications sometimes worked to stave off full-blown diabetes, diet and exercise worked better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5 to 10 percent reduction in body weight, produced a 58 percent reduction in diabetes.

So what does this mean to you? Well, first of all, take a look at your risk for diabetes. Ask yourself these questions:

- Does one or both of your parents, or a sibling, have diabetes?

- Are you physically inactive?

- Do you have high blood pressure?

- Are you overweight or obese?

- If you are female, did you have gestational diabetes during any pregnancy?

- Are you an African- Asian- or Mexican-American?

- Are you over age 45?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are at risk for pre-diabetes. Many of the risk factors above are modifiable; that is, you have some control over them. You do not have control over family history, age or race, but you do have some control over your diet and exercise habits.

Since being overweight or obese is one of the most common controllable risk factors for both diabetes and heart disease, it may truly be the best place to start. If you are overweight, I am sure that you want to lose weight. The challenge is knowing where to start. Begin with one or two very simple goals that you can achieve quickly (within a week or two). Rather than worry about “pounds to lose” focus on “behaviors that need to be changed.”

If you are overweight, you are at risk for diabetes. Choose two behaviors from the following list, and get started right now in controlling your long-term health and wellness:

- Eat more vegetables and fruits. Choose from the rainbow of colors available to maximize variety. Eat non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans with meals. Suggested goal: I will eat one piece of fresh fruit daily and one type of vegetable daily.

- Choose whole grain foods over processed grain products. Suggested goal: I will choose whole wheat bread when I order a sandwich and eat a one-cup serving of Cheerios cereal with 1 percent milk for a daily snack.

- Include fish in your meals two to three times a week. Suggested goal: I will cook or choose baked or grilled fish one day per week, gradually adding more.

- Choose lean meats like cuts of beef and pork that end in “loin” such as pork loin and sirloin. Remove the skin from chicken and turkey. Suggested goal: I will eat less animal fat.

- Choose non-fat dairy such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese. Suggested goal: I will reduce the total fat and saturated fat in my diet.

- Choose water and calorie-free “diet” drinks instead of regular soda, fruit punch, sweet tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks. Suggested goal: I will consume at lest 250 calories a day less by substituting water or diet soda for regular soda.

- Remember that fats are high in calories. Suggested goal: I will watch my portion sizes of added fats like salad dressings, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, margarine or butter spreads.

- Exercising 30 minutes a day can help prevent diabetes. Suggested goal: Choose a time to walk at least five days a week. Even if it is in 10- to 15-minute increments; check with your physician and then just do it.

- Cut back on high calorie snack foods and desserts like chips, cookies, cakes and full-fat ice cream. Suggested goal: I will reduce my intake of high calorie snacks by substituting one piece of fruit, 1 ounce of pretzels, a small bowl of whole grain cereal, or a low-fat granola bar for my daily snacks.

- Many foods have calories, so even healthful foods can lead to weight gain. Suggested goal: I will reduce my portion sizes of all foods.

These suggested goals only begin to address the numerous changes you could make in your diet. When you manage to make one little change, move on to the next small change. Little by little you will transform your body and your future health. Seek out support and enroll in local diabetes education classes.

- For more information about diabetes: Contact the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org

Rust is a licensed registered dietitian who has a private practice in Meadville. She is a nutrition instructor for Penn State’s World Campus and a licensed provider for Real Living Nutrition Services. To learn more about her online weight loss counseling service, visit www.rosannerust.com or contact her at www.rustnutrition.com.