Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for developing diabetes. The risk of developing diabetes can be substantially
reduced through weight loss and regular physical activity. The Diabetes Primary Prevention Study (DPP) showed that weight
loss and participation in regular physical activity can significantly decrease the risk. The DPP clinical trial included over
3,000 people who had impaired fasting glucose and were at an increased risk for developing diabetes. Participants who engaged
in moderately intense physical activity for 30 minutes per day and lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight decreased their
risk of diabetes dramatically. This behavioral activity was effective for all participants in the study, regardless of age
or ethnic group (http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/news/docs/dpp.htm). Some risk factors cannot be modified, such as older age or
membership in a minority racial or ethnic group. Nevertheless, risk can be substantially reduced through adhering to a nutritious
diet and participating in regular physical activity.
Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, Bureau of Health Promotion, Division of Disease Control and Prevention, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2107,
Telephone: 801-538-6141, Fax: 801-538-9495, Website: http://health.utah.gov/diabetes, Contact: Brenda Ralls, Nathan Peterson,
Email: bralls@utah.gov, nathanpeterson@utah.gov
The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health's Center for
Health Data IBIS-PH web site (http://ibis.health.utah.gov). The information published
on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation:
"Retrieved
Wed, 19 June 2013 18:45:16
from Utah Department of
Health, Center for Health Data, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web
site: http://ibis.health.utah.gov".
