Do My Lifestyle Choices Put Me at Increased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?

Take the following quiz to find out if your diet, exercise, and sleep habits are contributing to your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and see what you can do to reverse the risks.

Note: This assessment is not a diagnostic tool. It merely aims to help you understand the risk factors for type 2 diabetes and give recommendations for lifestyle changes.

How did you do?

While there are some uncontrollable genetic factors that may impact your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, there are also many lifestyle changes you can make to help minimize your risks. The sooner you understand your specific risk factors and discuss making appropriate changes with your doctor, the sooner you’ll be on the path to better health.

Congratulations! Keep working those muscles — you’re doing the right amount of exercise to decrease your risk for type 2 diabetes. Studies show that if you exercise for at least two and a half hours per week, you’ll have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you’re looking to introduce some variety into your workout routine, check out some cool workouts!

Next time you’re sipping on a soda, remember this: people who drink more than one sugar-sweetened drink per day have a 26 percent greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. A single 12-ounce can of soda can contain up to 39 grams of pure sugar (that’s nearly 10 teaspoons!), which exceeds the recommended daily allowance for even an adult man (9 teaspoons). Next time, swap soda for a glass of water with a twist of lemon and you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor!

We get that it’s hard to beat the habit, but maybe this will help: smoking impacts your health in many different ways, and increasing your chance of developing type 2 diabetes is just one of them. The reality is that smokers have a 30–40 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers do. Alarming, right? This is due to a variety of reasons, but it’s believed that smoking generally increases insulin resistance by altering the distribution of body fat, which may affect your glucose tolerance. Don’t worry, though. It’s not too late to quit and reap the benefits. Check out this helpful timeline for more info.

Uh-oh! You’re not getting enough fruit and vegetables in your diet. You should aim for at least five servings each day if you want to manage your body weight and reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes. A great way to eat more of our fiber-rich friends is to put them into a smoothie. That way, you can consume different fruits and veggies at once, and they’ll taste heavenly! Here are 22 delicious high-fiber foods to help you on your way.

Whether you’re a fitness guru with a balanced lifestyle or someone who can’t resist the odd cigarette or Mountain Dew, we hope you’ve been inspired to make better health choices in the future. And, if you’re left wanting to find out more about type 2 diabetes and what you can do to reduce of your risks for developing the disease, check out some of our useful diabetes guides!