Health for Body Mind and Soul

New research form the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, has indicated that the risks for diabetes may be independent of each other.  In other words, individuals who have a high risk factor may lower the risk for diabetes by reducing other risk factors.

The main risk factors include genetics, weight, diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption.  Individuals, for example, who smoked could lower their risk of contracting diabetes by watching their weight, exercising, and watching alcohol consumption.

“There are implications certainly for individuals to take one step at a time toward a healthy lifestyle,” said Jared Reis, one of the study’s authors
The study included 200,000 Americans over the course of 10 years.  Participants in the study did not have diabetes before the study began.  They were re-evaluated for diabetes as well as lifestyle over the course of the 10 year period.

This is especially good news for individuals with a family history of diabetes.  This study pointed out that they can effectively lower their risk by watching the other risk factors for the disease.  The overall risk for diabetes may be cut by up to 72% for Men and up to 84% for Women by controlling the risk factors.  Weight was, however, the most significant factor in determining the risk of contracting the disease.

For anyone, lowering their risk factors for diabetes is an important step in maintaining good health throughout their lifetimes.