According to a new study published in Diabetologia, a journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, researchers from The Ohio State University College of Medicine say that lifestyle and health factors that are good for the heart can also prevent diabetes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control diabetes is a growing problem in the United States, with nearly a third of the population living with diabetes or prediabetes.
Dr. Joshua J. Joseph's latest work looked at how cardiovascular health can impact diabetes risk.
Dr Joseph is an endocrinologist and assistant professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Speaking about the study, Dr. K. Craig Kent, dean of the College of Medicine said, "This research adds to our collective understanding about how physicians can help their patients prevent a number of serious diseases, including heart disease, cancer and now diabetes."
The research team, led by Joseph assessed diabetes among 7,758 participants in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study and used the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 as a guide for measuring heart health among the group.
The Life's Simple 7 health factors and lifestyle behaviours that are associated with cardiovascular health are physical activity, diet, weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose and tobacco use.
The study found that participants who were in the ideal ranges for at least four of the seven factors had a 70 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes over the next 10 years.
Joseph said that when they compared people who had normal blood glucose and those who already had impaired blood glucose they found, "Those in normal levels who attained four or more guideline factors had an 80 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes. Those who were already diabetic or prediabetic and met four of the factors had no change in lowering their risk for diabetes."
Joseph said this research proves using prevention strategies from the very beginning is key to help avoid diabetes.
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