Making simple lifestyle changes is at least as effective as taking prescription drugs in reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a British Medical Journal study. Changes such as switching to a healthier diet and increasing exercise helped to reduce the risk of diabetes by about 50 percent.

The lifestyle changes were just as effective, or more so, than taking an anti-obesity drug or a diabetes drug among people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine also found -- all the way back in 2002 -- that lifestyle changes work better than drugs in treating diabetes.

Rates of type 2 diabetes are expected to double by 2030, so it is critical that you protect yourself from this pervasive disease. Diabetes is close to 90 percent preventable, as it is often a direct result of dietary and lifestyle factors. The sooner you begin to treat the diabetes, the easier it will be to control, so it is important to take action as soon as possible.

The most basic changes to make first? Restrict all grains and sugars from your diet while increasing your exercise.

British Medical Journal January 19, 2007

EurekAlert January 19, 2007