February 07, 2022

DEEP DIVE INTO PREDIABETES

Are you aware that diabetes comes with a warning bell called Prediabetes? Prediabetes is a condition in which the blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes (1). In this condition the body is not able to use glucose effectively, causing the extra blood glucose to remain in the blood, setting the stage for prediabetes and eventually type 2 diabetes down the road (1,2,).

 Prediabetes Flies Under the Radar:

Several factors increase the risk of prediabetes but it often goes unnoticed as you may not be aware of it.  Obesity and overweight are considered to be strong risk factors for the development of pre-diabetes (2). We Indians are “thin fat” people which means even if we are lean, we have excess body fat with more concentration of fat in the abdominal area which is linked with insulin resistance (Insulin not being used effectively) (2, 3)

Apart from race and ethnicity, lifestyle factors such as lack of physical activity and the current diet trends like excess consumption of calories, saturated fats, trans-fats, simple sugars, sodium, and low intake of fiber and inadequate protein consumption also are responsible for increasing the risk of prediabetes.

Prediabetes = Chance to Reverse diabetes

You can think of prediabetes as a fork in the road, if you ignore it, your risk of type 2 diabetes increases. But the good news is that it is reversible! Yes, early diagnosis and lifestyle changes like doing physical activity, having a healthy diet, losing weight, can return blood glucose levels to a normal range, preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes mellitus and other serious health complications (6,7).

Lose weight and keep it off

If you have prediabetes and are overweight, losing 5% to 7 % of your body weight through healthy eating and regular physical activity can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes (8).

Move to feel better

Exercise has an important role to reduce blood glucose levels and to manage weight (2). So try to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise like brisk walking, bicycling, dancing, swimming, etc. at least 5 days a week or a total of 150 minutes per week (6).

 Eat to win, every day

A well-balanced diet plays a key role in preventing blood glucose spikes as what you eat directly has an impact on the blood glucose level. Therefore, it is important that you choose healthy food and eat the right portions which help in weight management and controlling blood glucose levels (9). Your diet should include moderate amount of carbohydrates, adequate-protein, healthy fats, high fiber, and a low intake of refined and processed food (9,10,11). 

Choose good carbohydrate sources such as whole grains like unpolished rice, millets, rolled/steel cut oats, barley, whole wheat flour, legumes, vegetables, seasonal whole fruits, and sweet potato, high protein-containing foods like eggs, curd, buttermilk, paneer, sprouts, dal, soybean, soy chunks, soy granules, lean meat, fish, nuts, etc. (9,10). Apart from good carbohydrate and protein-rich food sources, it is important to add fiber-rich food to the daily diet as well. Increasing fiber intake helps in preventing development of type 2 diabetes. It also provides satiety leading to suppression of appetite, promotes weight loss, and improves insulin sensitivity. Include fiber-rich food sources like fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, apples, berries, carrots, beans, lentils; nuts, fruit skins; cucumbers, tomatoes or grain hull, brown rice, legumes, nuts, almonds, whole grain, and bran products, etc to increase fiber content in the diet (12). Another convenient way to add fiber in the diet is by consuming nutritional beverage containing soluble fiber like Horlicks Diabetes Plus which has dual blend

fiber Nutriose^ and fibersol*. Nutriose forms a viscous gel in the stomach, delays passage of foods to the intestine and therefore helps to feel full for a longer period while (14,15)  Fibersol combines with food and releases glucose slowly. This way it helps to manage blood glucose levels. (16) 

Pre-Diabetes is a wakeup call to tell you that you are on the way to diabetes. Regular blood glucose checks and simple lifestyle changes can help you take a ‘U’ turn and reverse prediabetes and prevent future health complications. 

With prediabetes, action is the best medicine.

References:

  1. Prediabetes - Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. (2020). Retrieved 4 December 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/prediabetes.html#:~:text=Prediabetes%20is%20a%20serious%20health,t%20know%20they%20have%20it.
  2. Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes. (2018). Retrieved 4 December 2021, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance
  3. Prasad, D. S., Kabir, Z., Dash, A. K., & Das, B. C. (2011). Abdominal obesity, an independent cardiovascular risk factor in Indian subcontinent: A clinico epidemiological evidence summary. Journal of cardiovascular disease research, 2(4), 199–205. https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-3583.89803
  4. Diabetes Symptoms. (2021). Retrieved 13 December 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/symptoms.html 
  5. Jose, J., & Thomas, N. (2018). How should one tackle prediabetes in India?. The Indian journal of medical research, 148(6), 675–676. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_1785_18  
  6. The Surprising Truth About Prediabetes. (2021). Retrieved 4 December 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/truth-about-prediabetes.html 
  7. Prediabetes | ADA. Retrieved 4 December 2021, from https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-risk/prediabetes
  8. Preventing Type 2 Diabetes. (2016). Retrieved 4 December 2021, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-type-2-diabetes
  9. Diabetes Diet, Eating, & Physical Activity (2016). Retrieved 13 December 2021, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity 
  10. Gray A, Threlkeld RJ. Nutritional Recommendations for Individuals with Diabetes. [Updated 2019 Oct 13]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279012/ 
  11. Meal Planning. (2021). Retrieved 13 December 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/eat-well/meal-plan-method.html 
  12. Fiber and diabetes, Available from: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/carbohydrates-and-diabetes/fibre-and-diabetes 
  13. Puri S, Krishnaswamy S, Joshi S, Urooj A, Sharma N. Dietary Fiber and Health. Position of The Indian Dietetic Association. 2018.
  14. Slavin JL, Savarino V, Paredes-Diaz A, Fotopoulos G. A review of the role of soluble fiber in health with specific reference to wheat dextrin. J Int Med Res. 2009 Jan-Feb;37(1):1-17. 
  15. Lefranc-Millot C. Nutriose a useful soluble fibre for added nutritional value. Nutr Bull 2008; 33:234-9. 
  16. Fibersol-2TM: A soluble, non-digestive, starch-derived dietary fiber. In: McCleary B, Prosky L, eds. Advanced Dietary fiber Technology. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science; 2001:509-23.

 

Disclaimers
*Journal of Diabetes and Metabolism; 2020 Feb; 11(2): 841.
NUTRIOSE® is a registered trademark of Roquette Frères
^Nutriose® and Fibersol -2 are trade names for Wheat fibre dextrin & Corn fibre dextrin respectively.
Horlicks Diabetes Plus is not intended to replace any existing medication. It is a nutritional beverage to be consumed as a part of balanced daily diet and exercise.

Refer pack for more details 

Website for photo: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/healthy-eating-plate-infographic-chart-proper-1394011541