1. You’re eating the wrong thing for breakfast
Eating a sugary breakfast – whether that’s sugary cereal, pastries or snack bars – may be a sign your diet is high in calories and low in fibre, says Prof Sattar.
“People who eat sugary breakfasts are generally eating other dense calories, which leads to weight gain” – the biggest risk factor for Type 2 diabetes – he explains. Additionally, it’s unlikely that they’re eating enough fibre, which is a nutrient that controls appetite, he notes.
“You get to the point where your weight is so high that you can’t store it as subcutaneous fat (pinchable fat under the skin) so high amounts end up in places where it shouldn’t be, such as the liver,” he says. The liver is responsible for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels but when it becomes clogged up with fat, “it keeps making sugar in excess, which causes Type 2 diabetes”, he explains.
However, some people, such as those who do lots of exercise, may be able to eat a high-sugar breakfast without raising their risk of Type 2 diabetes, as they burn those calories off, he notes. For the vast majority though, it’s worth rethinking how they start the day.
How to combat the risk: Swap to a low-sugar, high-fibre option, such as shredded wheat. “It is more slowly absorbed by the gut and engages appetite signals, to help with eating fewer calories,” Prof Sattar explains.
2. You have wine every night
“There are tons of calories in alcohol,” Prof Sattar notes. A 175ml glass of wine contains 159 calories, meaning one per night adds up to 1,100 calories – nearly as much as two pizzas over the course of the week, which will fuel weight gain. The calorie intake from alcohol is even higher if your tipple of choice is a pint of beer (182) or cider (216).
As well as being calorific itself, alcohol also leads to a rapid drop in blood sugar levels, as a result of the liver focusing on breaking down alcohol rather than releasing sugar into the bloodstream, he explains. “That may mean you’ll eat more the next morning,” he says.
Additionally, research suggests giving up alcohol for just one month leads to weight loss and lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. While researchers don’t know how long this effect lasts, they note that it shows the impact of alcohol on Type 2 diabetes risk.
How to combat the risk: Cut back on alcohol and swap to lower calorie options, such as spirits (61 calories) with tonic or soda. “Drinking less may help with your weight as well as reducing the other toxic effects of alcohol on the liver, blood vessels and brain,” Prof Sattar notes.
3. You spend too much time sitting down
“Being sedentary means you’re probably sitting in the house more often, so you’re not burning calories,” Prof Sattar explains. “But secondly, it also provides you with more opportunities to eat, often out of boredom.”
Additionally, researchers, who monitored the blood sugar levels of 37 people over a fortnight, found that those who spent prolonged periods of time sitting at higher levels, while those who broke up sitting more often with standing or walking had lower levels.
“If you’re walking the dog or going out to meet friends, you’re not likely to be eating a packet of crisps while doing that,” Prof Sattar says. “More time at home leads to more eating just because we find eating food so pleasurable.”
How to combat the risk: “One simple tip I give patients is to try and walk an extra five minutes a day, which is equivalent to 500 steps,” he says. To motivate yourself, find a nice walking route, listen to a podcast on your walk or find a friend to join you. “Then, increase your walk to 10 minutes and longer – start low, go slow,” Prof Sattar says.
4. You’re adding salt at the dinner table
Just like with sugar, people who add salt to their meals are also at risk of eating too much.
Researchers at Tulane University in the US, who analysed the diet patterns of around 400,000 people in the UK, found that those who reported “always” adding salt to their meals were 39 per cent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes compared to those who “never” or “rarely” did so. People who “sometimes” added salt to their food faced a 13 per cent higher risk, jumping to 20 per cent for those “usually” added it.
The team suggested that added salt likely causes people to eat bigger portions, leading to weight gain, rather than salt itself causing Type 2 diabetes.
“It makes food taste nice, encourages overeating, and also leads people to drink more,” Prof Sattar explains. “If that’s a sugary drink, that can further fuel weight gain.”.
How to combat the risk: Cut back on eating salty food and adding salt at the dinner table, which will also benefit blood pressure – the biggest risk factor for strokes, Prof Sattar suggests. The NHS recommends that adults have no more than 6g of salt per day.
5. Your sleep time changes by more than one hour each night
Previous research has shown that people who have irregular sleep patterns – meaning the time they spend sleeping varies by more than one hour each day – face a third higher risk of developing the condition than those who have more regular sleep.
Adding further weight to the importance of sleep, a study that is set to be presented at a diabetes conference this week, which looked at 5,000 people, found that those who had late bedtimes were around 50 per cent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.
Prof Sattar says links between sleep and Type 2 diabetes are most likely to do with eating patterns. “Sleep and your appetites are strongly linked,” he explains. “If you have a poor night’s sleep, you generally tend to overeat over the next few days.”
Also, if you don’t get enough sleep, your energy levels may be lower the next day, meaning you have less motivation to be physically active, Prof Sattar notes.
How to combat the risk: Try to develop habits that are supportive of good sleep, Prof Sattar recommends. “For example, don’t look at your phone for at least half an hour before bed and don’t check emails late at night,” he says. Avoid eating dinner too late or snacking before bed, though if you do snack, opt for a small handful of nuts over chocolate or crisps, he adds.
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