If you have just been diagnosed as prediabetic, there has never been a better time to dedicate yourself to losing a good amount of weight. In fact, the months right after a diagnosis might be your best window to head off a future Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, according to a new study.
A recent UK study found that adults diagnosed as prediabetic significantly decreased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes if they lost some 3% of their body weight in the first year after diagnosis. The University of Leicester researchers found that those who lost an average of 3% of their body weight after a prediabetes diagnosis were 1.81 times more likely to have their blood sugar levels return to what is considered a normal range.
For the study, the researchers tracked 817 adults with a prediabetic-related diagnosis who were enrolled in a lifestyle intervention program for five years. In the course of the study, they also found that those who lost 3 centimeters (roughly 1.2 inches) of their waist circumference were 1.78 times more likely to have their blood sugar levels return to normal.
These findings will continue the long-simmering debate over whether rapid weight loss or gradual weight loss is better at improving health.
The study results were reported in Healio Endocrine Today.
