Avoid sugar

A diet high in refined carbohydrates stimulates the pancreas to produce an excess insulin response to help cut blood sugar levels. Excessive sugar intake leads to a similar reaction. “Constant blasts of insulin can actually exhaust the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin, putting you at risk for prediabetes. So eating excess sugar can indirectly make you susceptible to diabetes,” says endriconologist Dr Kharab. Besides, too much sugar means too many calories, and obesity is a very strong risk factor.

Put a lid on stress

A German study has demonstrated that those who face high levels of pressure at work have a 45 per cent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who face less stress at work. “Tension increases the stress hormones by acting on the corticosteroid hormone in the brain, which leads to abdominal obesity. It increases blood sugar levels and makes a person prone to hypertension and diabetes,” says Dr Ahluwalia. “Stress also affects your blood sugar levels indirectly by making you pig out on food and skip exercise, both high risk factors for diabetes,” he adds.

Eat fruit, don’t drink packaged fruit juice

“All canned juices tend to have a lot of sugar added to them to help in preservation. And as these sugars are simple sugars, they immediately increase the blood sugar level. Plus packaged juices also contain preservatives and almost no fibre and reduced nutrients compared to fruits. So be careful,” advises Dr Abhay Ahluwalia, consultant endocrinology, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon.