You may be wondering if lifestyle changes, such as losing excess weight, exercising, and following a specific meal plan, really help control blood sugar.

Lifestyle and Diabetes Control
Medical researchers are able to learn about certain conditions by studying groups of people who tend to get a certain disease more often than the general population. The example of the Pima Indians has taught us much about type 2 diabetes and, most significantly, has confirmed that lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in controlling the disease.

Today, one in two Pima Indians, an astonishing 50% of the Pima Indian population, is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, many at very young ages. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health studied more than 90% of the Pima Indians to learn about their past and present lifestyle. The bottom line? Lifestyle is indeed a very important factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.

The Pima Indians
The story of the Pima Indians is about different cultures coming together, resulting in radical lifestyle changes. As the Pima Indians integrated with Western society, their diet changed from the high-fiber, complex-carbohydrate diet of a hunter-gatherer society, to a typical high-fat, low-fiber Western diet.

Not only did their diet change significantly, but so did their level of physical activity. Starting 100 years ago, they moved from hard physical labor to a sedentary lifestyle. The combination of diet and activity changes greatly increased their risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Comparing Percentages
Nearly 95% of Pima Indians who have type 2 diabetes are overweight. In addition, Pima Indians get the disease at a much younger age than the general population. On average, Pima Indians are just 36 years old when they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In comparison, the average age of diabetes onset in Caucasians is 60 years old.

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have instituted advanced, comprehensive programs for the Pima Indians to help reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and, if they do get it, improve their blood sugar management.