By Marc Dellière, Medical Consultant & Trainer – Specialist in Stress, Prevention & Integrative Health
What if preventing diabetes was easier than we think?
As healthcare professionals, educators, or caregivers, we know that prediabetes is a warning sign. It is not yet a disease, but it is already a metabolic vulnerability.
Prediabetes is not inevitable. It is an opportunity. An opportunity to take back control of your health before complications arise. It is our shared responsibility to take action early on, using simple, practical, proven tools.
Why take action before it's too late?
When blood sugar levels rise slowly and insidiously, it is often painless and symptom-free. But behind the scenes, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes becomes very real. Loss of energy, weight gain, cardiovascular problems... The hardest part? Too many patients only become aware of it after the tipping point. Yet there is still time to act.
What science says
The evidence is there. Solid studies show that a low glycemic index diet and regular physical activity reduce the risk of developing diabetes by more than 50%.
Diet
Diet plays a key role in prevention.
- Prioritize fiber, healthy fats, and minimally processed foods.
- Reduce fast sugars and white flour.
- Learn to eat in the right order: Fiber → Protein/Fat → Carbohydrates This slows glucose absorption and curbs postprandial blood sugar spikes.
Exercise
Even without weight loss, regular exercise improves metabolism. It is one of the most powerful—and often underestimated—levers in diabetes prevention.
- 150 minutes/week of moderate activity: brisk walking, cycling, swimming.
- 2 weekly muscle-strengthening sessions.
Bonus: walking for 10 to 30 minutes after meals improves glycemic response.
Track progress to better anchor changes
Change is good. Measuring the effects is better.
- Fasting blood sugar
- HbA1c
- Waist circumference
- Blood pressure
- Inflammatory markers
These are all benchmarks for objectively assessing the benefits and strengthening motivation.
Learn more about Pep2Dia® to maintain a healthy glycemia!
Scientific sources :
✍️ Zhang H, Guo Y, Hua G, Guo C, Gong S, Li M, Yang Y. Exercise training modalities in prediabetes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Feb 19;15:1308959. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1308959. PMID: 38440785; PMCID: PMC10911289.
✍️ Daniel Gallardo-Gómez, Eduardo Salazar-Martínez, Rosa M. Alfonso-Rosa, Javier Ramos-Munell, Jesús del Pozo-Cruz, Borja del Pozo Cruz, Francisco Álvarez-Barbosa; Optimal Dose and Type of Physical Activity to Improve Glycemic Control in People Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Diabetes Care 1 February 2024; 47 (2): 295–303. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc23-0800
✍️ Bennasar-Veny M, Malih N, Galmes-Panades AM, Hernandez-Bermudez IC, Garcia-Coll N, Ricci-Cabello I, Yañez AM. Effect of physical activity and different exercise modalities on glycemic control in people with prediabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Sep 28;14:1233312. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1233312. PMID: 37842295; PMCID: PMC10569497.
✍️ Yau JW, Thor SM, Ramadas A. Nutritional Strategies in Prediabetes: A Scoping Review of Recent Evidence. Nutrients. 2020 Sep 29;12(10):2990. doi: 10.3390/nu12102990. PMID: 33003593; PMCID: PMC7650618.
✍️ Sénéchal M, Slaght J, Bharti N, Bouchard DR. Independent and combined effect of diet and exercise in adults with prediabetes. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2014 Oct 31;7:521-9. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S62367. PMID: 25382981; PMCID: PMC4222617.
✍️ The Best Exercises to Do If You Have Prediabetes, According to Personal Trainers https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7948870/the-best-exercises-to-do-if-you-have-prediabetes-according-to-personal-trainers/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
✍️ At risk for diabetes? Here’s how long you should delay progression to preserve long-term health https://nypost.com/2024/07/09/health/prediabetes-patients-should-delay-diabetes-onset-by-4-years-study/