1 - Against type 2 diabetes, we monitor our weight and waistline

Losing a few pounds is all profit. Not only on the risk of diabetes but also on blood pressure, cholesterol, the risk of osteoarthritis and cardiovascular diseases. It's not a question of a strict diet. A slight weight loss of 5 to 10% already makes the difference. A simple gesture: we measure his waist. If it is less than 80 cm (and 94 cm in humans), everything is fine; above: vigilance. Abdominal fat overload is one of the markers of diabetes risk.

2 - Slow sugars are preferred to fast sugars

Fast sugars, where are they? "In all foods with a very sweet taste (pastries, candies, dessert creams, chocolate, fruit)," says Prof. Altman. Problem: they quickly raise blood sugar and discharge insulin. These foods are not prohibited but strongly discouraged in everyday life in people with diabetes. "On the other hand, when we consume slow sugars (pasta, rice, wholemeal bread, oat fiber cereals, legumes ...), blood sugar levels increase less rapidly," says Pr Altman.

3 - To prevent diabetes, it limits the intake of fats

"Lipids make you fat, which increases the increase in overweight and insulin resistance," says Prof. Altman. What makes the fight against bad fats particularly delicate is that almost half of the lipids are hidden in industrial dishes or sauces.

4 - To avoid diabetes, it's "no limit" on vegetables

To reduce the risk of diabetes, you can eat vegetables at will. They are very low calorie and full of fiber, they are the best allies of people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. On the other hand, it is more complicated for fruits because some contain a lot of fast sugars (melon, mango, cherry). To prevent diabetes, strawberry, apricot or grapefruit, less sweet, are preferred. Or, we consume the first in small quantities.

5 - Against diabetes ... We move

All physical activity matters, not just intensive sport. In everyday life, we avoid taking the elevator, we stop a subway or bus station before the office or the house. We garden, we do the cleaning. It makes a real difference to prevent type 2 diabetes. "I really encourage daily play activities," says Altman. A little reminder about walking. "Strolling for fifteen minutes while doing sales is not enough. We must really try to walk a good half an hour a day, at a good pace, "says the specialist.

To read: "The big book of diabetes", Pr Jean-Jacques Altman, Dr. Roxane Ducloux and Dr. Laurence Lévy-Dutel, Eyrolles editions.