Diabetes Type 2

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, the main feature of this chronic disease is the presence of high blood glucose levels. Glucose is the body’s main source of energy and comes from the food we eat. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that facilitates the entry of glucose into the cells to be used as energy. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin that is produced does not exert the necessary effect, which is known as insulin resistance. In this case, glucose remains in the blood and does not reach the cells in sufficient quantity.

Signs and symptoms

What can I do if myHealthScore for Type 2 Diabetes is high?

myHealthScore determines the genetic risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but in addition to this genetic factor there is another part of the risk related to environmental factors, lifestyle habits, etc., which is why it is considered a multifactorial disease. If myHealthScore result is high, although we cannot modify genetics, there are many other factors that we can modify to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, such as lifestyle changes.

More than half of the cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or its onset can be delayed.

How to prevent type 2 diabetes?

According to WHO (World Health Organization) there are several lifestyle measures on which we can work on:

1.- Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Be physically active

People who lose 5-7% of their body weight and exercise about 150 minutes per week can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58%. For people over 60, this risk reduction can be as high as 71%.

2.- Eat healthy and avoid saturated fats and sugar

To increase the benefits of exercise, it is essential to eat a healthy diet to achieve and maintain a proper weight. The Mediterranean diet is known for its health benefits and has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

General recommendations