test
| Factor affecting T2 | Impact and why it matters | WithIn your control? |
|---|---|---|
| Diet quality (free sugars, refined carbs, ultra-processed foods) | Frequent glucose spikes ↑ insulin demand → worsens insulin resistance and liver fat over time | ✅ Yes |
| Physical activity & muscle use | Active muscle burns glucose and improves insulin sensitivity; inactivity does the opposite | ✅ Yes |
| Sleep (duration & quality) | Short/poor sleep raises cortisol and appetite, making the body more insulin-resistant | ✅ Yes |
| Stress load (chronic stress) | Chronic stress hormones reduce insulin sensitivity; tends to drive comfort-eating | ✅ Yes |
| Alcohol (amount & frequency) | Burden on the liver, worsens triglycerides & liver fat; sugary drinks add glucose spikes | ✅ Yes |
| Body fat distribution (especially waist/visceral fat) | Visceral & liver fat drive insulin resistance; small, steady loss at the waist helps a lot | ✅ Yes |
| Family history / genetics (e.g., parent with Type 2) | Raises baseline risk (e.g., beta-cell function, fat storage pattern), so lifestyle “levers” matter even more | ❌ No |
| Ethnic background | Some groups (e.g., South Asian, African-Caribbean) have higher risk at lower BMI—earlier screening is wise | ❌ No |
| Medical conditions & medications (e.g., steroids, some antipsychotics; PCOS, sleep apnoea) | Can increase insulin resistance or appetite; work with your clinician on risk-mitigation strategies | ❌ No |
| Early-life factors (birthweight, early growth) | Programs later metabolism; you can still offset risk with activity, diet quality & sleep | ❌ No |
| My own example: Family history + poor diet + no exercise | Mix of things under my direct control and genetics that i cannot change. Genetics set a higher baseline, but improving diet quality, daily movement, sleep and stress can significantly reduce insulin resistance and risk—despite family history. | ✅ ❌ Mixed |
Dr Knows Best
Why aren’t effective lifestyle strategies
routinely ‘prescribed ‘to manage Type 2 diabetes?
There are simple lifestyle-based approaches that will improve and even ... Read Full Article
Academic References
👀 You wanted proof — here it is!
Research clearly shows that poor diet, lack of activity, broken sleep and poor weight control are the most powerful drivers of type 2 diabetes risk. ... Read Full Article
Change Process
From Diagnosis to Direction: A Change Management Process for Type 2 Diabetes
A Type 2 diagnosis can feel final — but it’s not. What it really represents is a point somewhere ... Read Full Article
Insulin Resistance Explained
Understanding Insulin Resistance: The First Step Toward Type 2 Diabetes
Most people have heard the term “insulin resistance”, but few really understand what it means — or how quietly it can develop ... Read Full Article
Use a flexible tape measure (Doh!)
Feel for your bottom rib with your fingers
Feel for the top of your hip bone
