Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Nov 27: Preventing type 2 diabetes may not always start at a clinic, but in everyday routines—what families eat, how they move, manage stress, and sleep. Doctors stress that prevention begins long before medication, with simple lifestyle choices that can dramatically reduce risk.

Dr Jimmy Prabhakaran, Consultant in Internal Medicine at Rela Hospital, Chennai, notes that type 2 diabetes now affects all age groups, including teenagers and children. While genetics play a role, lifestyle factors such as junk food consumption, irregular meals, lack of physical activity, childhood obesity, stress, and insufficient sleep contribute significantly.

Move Together: Regular physical activity helps maintain weight, improves metabolism, and stabilises insulin levels. Dr R Sundararaman of SIMS Hospitals emphasises that families who exercise together not only stay healthier but also happier. Global research supports this: a 2016 Diabetologia analysis found that 150 minutes of brisk walking per week lowered diabetes risk by up to 26%. Simple activities like evening walks, cycling, swimming, or short home workouts can make a big difference.

Screen Time Management: Excessive screen use promotes inactivity, irregular eating, and disrupted sleep, increasing diabetes risk. Studies link prolonged screen time with higher BMI and poor glycaemic control. Experts recommend setting daily screen limits, avoiding devices during meals, replacing casual screen use with reading, and maintaining a no-screens rule at least one hour before bedtime.

Stress Management: Chronic stress raises cortisol, which elevates blood glucose. Teaching children to manage emotions early builds resilience. Daily habits such as 10 minutes of deep breathing or meditation, consistent sleep, “unplugged” family time, and open communication can help regulate stress and protect metabolic health.

Nutrition Matters: Small dietary changes are effective. Dr Prabhakaran advises whole grains like brown rice, wheat, and millets, low-glycaemic foods such as sweet potatoes and beans, fruits like strawberries and watermelon, and non-starchy vegetables including carrots and beans. High-fibre, low-GI diets have been shown to significantly reduce diabetes risk.

Childhood Obesity: Overweight children are far more likely to develop diabetes as adults, making active play, screen limits, and balanced meals essential from a young age.

Sleep: Both experts highlight sleep as a crucial, yet often overlooked, preventive tool. Seven to eight hours of nightly sleep helps regulate hunger hormones, reduce cravings, and improve insulin sensitivity.

Bottom Line: Diabetes prevention is about small, consistent daily choices rather than drastic transformations. Families can lower their risk by moving more, eating smart, managing stress, limiting screen time, and prioritising sleep. These habits together can make a lasting difference in metabolic health for all members.