Prevention

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

Can diabetes be prevented?

Many cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented by making lots of small changes to your diet and lifestyle. A record number of people in the UK are living with type 2 diabetes and this figure is only set to increase. This means that many more people will experience the complications associated with diabetes which can have serious impacts on your health.

If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the good news is that by learning more about it and implementing small changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can prevent it occurring in the first place. We strongly recommend completing the Diabetes Prevention online course for information on how to reduce your risk.

The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme

The Diabetes Prevention Programme is a joint commitment from NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK, to identify those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and refers them onto a behaviour change programme. If you are interested in getting involved in your local scheme then please contact your GP.

There is also a pilot of a digital scheme for this programme, you can find out more about this by clicking here.

High risk of type 2 (NDH)

Being at high risk of type 2 diabetes is officially called non-diabetic hyperglycaemia or NDH. It means that the glucose levels in your blood are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

High risk of type 2 diabetes (Non Diabetic Hyperglycaemia)

Check My Risk

There are currently two million people in England at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is a leading cause of preventable sight loss in people of working age and is a major contributor to kidney failure, heart attack, and stroke. Check your own risk here.

Check My Risk

Risk Levels

Using the Diabetes UK 'Know Your Risk' tool will classify your risk level of developing type 2 into 4 categories. Find out your level of risk here.

Risk levels

Blood Glucose Tests Explained

Understanding blood glucose is important to tell if someone has diabetes, or if they are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Find out more about the blood tests that your healthcare professional may recommend to check your blood glucose levels.

Blood Glucose Tests Explained

Lifestyle and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

Knowing that you are at risk is the first step towards preventing type 2 diabetes, and the good news is that making small changes to your diet and lifestyle will help reduce the risk considerably. The 3 areas where you can make these changes are: losing weight, increasing physical activity, and improving your diet.

Lifestyle and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

T2D Prevention eLearning

This course is aimed at anyone that is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This course aims to give you the information you need to know about what type 2 diabetes is and how you can reduce your risk of developing it.

T2D Prevention eLearning