Increases in waist circumference and weight may predict incident diabetes, according to the results of a study reported online May 18 in Diabetes Care.

“Individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) are at high risk for type 2 diabetes,” write Alain Gautier, MD, from Center Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes in France, and colleagues from the Data from an Epidemiological Study on the Insulin Resistance syndrome (D.E.S.I.R.) Study Group. “Although visceral adiposity and waist circumference are strong risk factors for type 2 diabetes, the consequence of an increase in waist circumference among individuals with IFG at baseline has not been fully investigated, in particular in those who are not overweight or obese at baseline. This report investigates the relative importance of increases in waist circumference and weight on progression to diabetes, in individuals with baseline IFG, according to baseline BMI [body mass index] strata.”

Using the D.E.S.I.R. cohort, the investigators studied the 9-year incidence of diabetes in 979 men and women with baseline IFG. After adjustment for risk factors at baseline, increases in both waist circumference and weight were significantly associated with diabetes incidence. Standardized odds ratios (ORs) were 1.79 for waist circumference (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45 – 2.21) and 1.86 for weight (95% CI, 1.51 – 2.30).

For patients with a BMI of less than 25 kg/m² at baseline, the effect of increase in waist circumference was greater (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.63 – 3.52) vs patients with a BMI of 25 kg/m² or more at baseline (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.28 – 2.16). Adjustment for concurrent changes in either insulinemia or the updated version of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) index did not abolish the difference in effect based on initial BMI. The effect of weight change was similar in both BMI groups.

“In IFG individuals, it is important to monitor and prevent increases in waist circumference, in particular for those with BMI<25 kg/m²,” the study authors write.

Limitations of this study include absence of gold-standard measures of insulin sensitivity, such as the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp.

“Impaired β-cell function is considered an important characteristic in individuals with IFG and reduced insulin secretion has been shown to be a prominent mechanism leading to diabetes in lean individuals,” the study authors write. “We speculate that an increase in waist circumference may induce further alterations in insulin secretion beyond that inherent in a worsening insulin resistance. Potential mechanisms may involve β-cell lipotoxicity through enhanced free fatty acid release from adipose tissue.”

Increases in waist circumference and weight may predict incident diabetes, according to the results of a study reported online May 18 in Diabetes Care.

“Individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) are at high risk for type 2 diabetes,” write Alain Gautier, MD, from Center Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes in France, and colleagues from the Data from an Epidemiological Study on the Insulin Resistance syndrome (D.E.S.I.R.) Study Group. “Although visceral adiposity and waist circumference are strong risk factors for type 2 diabetes, the consequence of an increase in waist circumference among individuals with IFG at baseline has not been fully investigated, in particular in those who are not overweight or obese at baseline. This report investigates the relative importance of increases in waist circumference and weight on progression to diabetes, in individuals with baseline IFG, according to baseline BMI [body mass index] strata.”

Using the D.E.S.I.R. cohort, the investigators studied the 9-year incidence of diabetes in 979 men and women with baseline IFG. After adjustment for risk factors at baseline, increases in both waist circumference and weight were significantly associated with diabetes incidence. Standardized odds ratios (ORs) were 1.79 for waist circumference (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45 – 2.21) and 1.86 for weight (95% CI, 1.51 – 2.30).

For patients with a BMI of less than 25 kg/m² at baseline, the effect of increase in waist circumference was greater (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.63 – 3.52) vs patients with a BMI of 25 kg/m² or more at baseline (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.28 – 2.16). Adjustment for concurrent changes in either insulinemia or the updated version of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) index did not abolish the difference in effect based on initial BMI. The effect of weight change was similar in both BMI groups.

“In IFG individuals, it is important to monitor and prevent increases in waist circumference, in particular for those with BMI<25 kg/m²,” the study authors write.

Limitations of this study include absence of gold-standard measures of insulin sensitivity, such as the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp.

“Impaired β-cell function is considered an important characteristic in individuals with IFG and reduced insulin secretion has been shown to be a prominent mechanism leading to diabetes in lean individuals,” the study authors write. “We speculate that an increase in waist circumference may induce further alterations in insulin secretion beyond that inherent in a worsening insulin resistance. Potential mechanisms may involve β-cell lipotoxicity through enhanced free fatty acid release from adipose tissue.”

Here’s one trend you don’t want to be part of: The number of Americans with diabetes has tripled since the ’80s to almost 20 million, and the disease also ups your odds of everything from stroke to blindness. The good news? You can ward off illness, and help reverse any damage you already have, by adopting these stay healthy strategies.

1) Have Your Carbs Au Natural
You don’t have to join the low carbohydrate craze to shed inches and lower your diabetes risk-you just have to eat the right types. Dieters who cut 500 calories and got their carbs from only whole grains lost about twice as much belly fat (a diabetes risk factor) as those who cut the same amount of calories but ate only refined carbs, reveals the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Try swapping refined white breads and rice for unprocessed, fiber-rich carbs, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Bonus: They keep blood sugar from spiking and then crashing so you’ll feel full longer than if you downed a bag of chips.

2) Go to Bed Earlier Here’s more incentive for you to stay in bed: People clocking five hours or less shut-eye a night are about twice as likely to get the disease, reports the journal Sleep. “Lack of sleep can increase appetite and reduce insulin sensitivity, which are both risk factors for diabetes,” says lead study author of Columbia University. Most people need between seven and nine hours a night: Discover your magic number by noting your sleep patterns when you’re not using an alarm clock, such as when you’re on vacation.

3) Eat Like the Spanish
Spain is known for flamenco dancing and sweet sangria, but their greatest national treasure may be their healthy diet. In fact, eating Mediterranean style may slash your odds of diabetes by 83 percent-even if you have high risk factors such as a family history, finds a new study in the British Medical Journal. One reason may be that the diet is rich in virgin olive oil, which has antioxidants known as polyphenols that cut inflammation linked to the disease. Aim to have about four tablespoons of virgin olive oil daily: Try swapping with butter on bread or for vegetable oil when cooking, suggests lead study author the University of Navarra in Spain.

Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer in America. Therefore, it is critical to know that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and being overweight are all major risk factors. Exactly what it is that keeps your heart healthy is still a bit controversial, as is all science, but what we do know is that being physically active, eating fruits and vegetables, reducing certain types of saturated fats, and increasing “good” fats all help. Here are a few swaps that could help you have a healthier heart.

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American in the major leagues when he plays his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born into a family of sharecroppers on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. He attended UCLA, where he became the first athlete to letter in four varsity sports: baseball, basketball, football and track. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1944 and was honorably discharged after facing insubordination charges for refusing to move to the back of a segregated bus*.

* On April 3, 1942, Jackie Robinson was inducted into the U.S. Army during World War II.

Robinson was accepted into officer candidate school. He graduated, earning his second lieutenant’s bars on January 28, 1943, and was assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas. After experiencing intense racial discrimination, he was transferred to Fort Hood, Texas, for further training. The intensity of discrimination was not any different in Texas.

A presidential executive order that desegregated the military in 1948, emboldened Robinson to disregard a military bus driver’s orders to “go to the back of the bus.” Consequently, Robinson was court-martialed for insubordination and didn’t ship out to Europe with his unit. However, in 1944, Robinson was exonerated at a trial and received an honorable discharge.

After leaving the military, Robinson played shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro League. In 1945, he was recruited by Dodgers president and general manager Branch Rickey, who was determined to end the unwritten segregation rule in the majors. In 1946, Robinson joined the Dodgers’ farm team, the Montreal Royals, and went on to lead the league in batting. On April 15, 1947, 28-year-old Jackie Robinson made his Major League Baseball debut with the Dodgers, against the Boston Braves, in front of more than 25,000 spectators at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. Robinson played first base and went zero for three at the plate.

During his first season in the majors, Robinson encountered racism from opposing teams and fans, as well as some of his own teammates. However, the abuse didn’t affect his performance on the baseball field. Robinson played in 151 games, hit .297, stole more bases than anyone else in the National League and was awarded the first-ever Rookie of the Year title. In 1949, Robinson, who had switched to playing second base, was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player. The next year he became the Dodgers’ highest paid player, earning a salary of $35,000. In 1955, Robinson helped the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees to win the World Series. He retired from baseball after playing his last game on October 10, 1956, with a career batting average of .311, 1,518 hits and 137 home runs.

After leaving baseball, Robinson worked as a business executive and continued his involvement in civil rights causes. On October 24, 1972, he died at age 53 from heart problems and complications related to diabetes. Robinson became the first African-American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility. In 1997, on the 50th anniversary of his historic first game in the majors, Robinson’s uniform number–42–was retired by Major League Baseball.

A sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in some fruits. It’s about 60 percent as sweet as sugar and used to both sweeten and thicken.

Found in: Dried fruit, chewing gum, and reduced-sugar candy

Example: Fudgsicle No Sugar Added

What You Need to Know: Sorbitol is digested slower than sugars, which makes it a better choice for diabetics. But like other sugar alcohols, it can cause intestinal discomfort, gas, bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea

Our Personal Trainers have heard a lot about insulin in the days of low-carb diets. And for good reason. Problems with insulin are a root cause of some of the most dangerous health conditions, as insulin affects almost every cell in the body.

Insulin plays a critical role in how your body uses food. Its most important role is to lower the concentration of glucose in your blood. When you eat, your digestive system breaks food down into glucose, and the glucose recirculates in your blood stream. In response to the rise in glucose after a meal, the pancreas releases surges of insulin, whose job is to clean the glucose from the blood. Some of the glucose is diverted into the liver, where it’s converted into stored glucose, called glycogen, for later use by the muscles. Insulin then helps turn any leftover glucose into fatty acids and stores them in fat cells where they can be tapped later for fuel.

By making poor food choices, like scarfing down too many highly processed, refined carbs (like white bread and pasta!), we can do things to cause our bodies to create too much insulin. When you repeat that cycle too many times (like by repeatedly eating sugary junk on an empty stomach) your pancreas will overcompensate and produce more insulin, which your cells will eventually start to ignore. This is called insulin resistance and it is the precursor to type 2 diabetes and it is common in overweight people. Turned away at the door, the sugar is left with no where to go. If it hangs around in your blood too long, doctors call this impaired fasting glucose (if measured in the morning) or impaired glucose tolerance (if measured two hours after a meal). You could develop full-blown diabetes if both conditions go unchecked.

While high levels of blood glucose trigger insulin release, low levels suppress it, Maintaining low levels of insulin — one of the primary goals of the diet — allows your body to more easily tap in to your stored fat for fuel. Conversely, being insulin-resistant can hamper your weight-loss efforts. Try to avoid spikes in your blood sugar, by eating regularly. Pair carbs with protein, eat whole foods, avoid sugar juices and fruits, and highly-processed carbs. When your insulin-release mechanism works the right way, it helps keep your weight in check. So work to keep it balanced!

Having trouble sleeping at night? Discuss this with one of our Veteran Training Personal Trainers. Insomnia can have serious health consequences if untreated for long periods of time. In addition to feeling drowsy and irritable with trouble concentrating during the day, chronic insomnia can eventually lead to lowered immunity, and a whole host of other conditions that can accelerate the development of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and other problems. If you regularly experience difficulty sleeping Veteran Training can show you how exercise can be a natural, safe, inexpensive, and simple solution. Regular exercise is always prescribed as one of the three major cornerstones of good sleep hygiene. The other two are a regular sleep schedule; and avoiding stimulants, hard-to-digest foods, and alcohol before bedtime.