Raises your risk: 14 percent
How: More TV equals less activity.
The fix: Limit TV time to 10 hours a week and exercise.
2. DRINKING ONE SODA A DAY
Raises your risk: 83 percent
How: Soda adds extra and empty calories, which can easily lead to weight gain.
The fix: Switch to water, diet soda, or even better, unsweetened tea, which may actually protect against disease.
3. SKIPPING BREAKFAST
Raises your risk: up to 50 percent
How: Not having that morning meal increases the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin, making you hungrier and likely to eat more.
The fix: Eat high-fiber cereal with low-fat milk and one-half cup of fruit in the morning. One study of people with prediabetes found that eating high-fiber cereals made their cells respond better to insulin. Consuming dairy products may also cut the risk for insulin resistance by 72 percent.
4. A BOUT OF MAJOR DEPRESSION
Raises your risk: 23 percent
How: Depression may alter body chemistry in a way that makes us more prone to developing diabetes.
The fix: Take a walk. Just 30 minutes, three times a week, has been shown to improve symptoms of depression.
5. A LARGE WAIST EVEN IF YOU'RE AT A NORMAL WEIGHT
Raises your risk: 330 percent
How: Fat in the abdomen (visceral fat) produces compounds that make cells insulin-resistant. Women should keep their waist size below 35 inches (40 inches for men).
The fix: A half-hour to one hour of cardio, three to five times a week.
6. WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Raises your risk: 98 percent
How: Not being able to stay asleep means you're not getting enough sleep, making you more prone to developing insulin resistance and leading to diabetes.
The fix: No caffeine in the late afternoon and evening, and no TV and alcohol right before bed. Try yoga, too.
7. EATING FAST FOOD MORE THAN TWICE A WEEK
Raises your risk: 100 percent
How: People who ate burgers, fries and soda more than twice a week put on 10 extra pounds and were twice as likely to become resistant to
insulin.
The fix: Satisfy cravings with smaller portions.
8. HIGH STRESS
Raises your risk: 184 percent
How: Stress can interfere with your ability to make insulin and process glucose.
The fix: Allow 10-15 minutes a day to relax.
9. CONSUMING LOTS OF PROCESSED MEAT
Raises your risk: 43 percent
How: These meats (such as hot dogs and bacon) are loaded with preservatives that may destroy insulin- producing cells in your pancreas.
The fix: Cut back. A Harvard study found that women who had these meats less often than once a week had the lowest risk. Try a preservative-free type, too.
Sources: Fitness magazine, April 2007 issue, www.fitnessmagazine.com.
