Lifestyle changes to help with type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes or have been told that you may get it in the future (prediabetes), lifestyle changes can help lower your blood glucose (sugar) levels. This can help to manage diabetes and possibly avoid having to take medicine.
Lifestyle changes can sometimes lower your blood glucose to a normal level and stop diabetes (remission).
What you can do to make lifestyle changes:
Do
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try to eat a healthy diet including fruit, vegetables, wholegrain foods such as wholemeal bread and oats, and pulses such as chickpeas and lentils
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improve your diet slowly if you're finding it difficult – a small change every week can make it easier
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talk to a GP or diabetes nurse if you're finding it hard to change your diet as they may be able to find support in your local area
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try to spend at least 2.5 hours (across the whole week) either walking or doing another activity that leaves you out of breath
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try to lose weight if you've been told you're overweight
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stop smoking – having diabetes increases the harmful effects of smoking
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try to limit how much alcohol you drink
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have regular dental check-ups to help prevent gum disease
Don’t
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do not each too much processed foods with lots of salt and sugar – this may include things like bacon, chips, cheese, sweets and biscuits
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do not change to a very strict, low-calorie diet without talking to a health professional first – this type of diet may not be suitable if you're taking insulin or other diabetes medicine
Children with type 2 diabetes will be under specialist care.
NHS services to help change your lifestyle
If you have prediabetes and are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, you may be eligible for an NHS programme that can help you.
Speak to your doctor or nurse about the NHS:
Find out more
- Diabetes UK: living with diabetes
- Diabetes UK: children and type 2 diabetes
- about a healthy diet, exercise and losing weight
- about checking your ideal weight using the BMI healthy weight calculator
- Better Health
Medicine for type 2 diabetes
If you need medicine, you'll usually be offered metformin, which is one of a few medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes.
If you have another health problem, or metformin alone does not lower your blood glucose level, you may need to take another medicine with metformin, or change to a different diabetes medicine.
If metformin, or other diabetes medicines, do not help, you may need to take insulin. It's usually used to treat type 1 diabetes, but it can be used to treat type 2 diabetes, as well.
You may need to take insulin a few times a day, either by injection or through a pump. This will help keep your blood glucose levels within a normal range.
You'll be told how much to take and when to take it. Taking too much insulin can cause your blood glucose levels to go too low. This is known as hypoglycaemia or having a "hypo".
If you feel ill, such as vomiting, diarrhoea or a very high temperature, while you're taking diabetes medicine, speak to a doctor or a member of your healthcare team. They may tell you to stop taking your medicine temporarily, until you feel better. Do not stop taking your medicine unless your healthcare professional or doctor tells you to.
Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:
- you're taking diabetes medicine and have vomiting, diarrhoea or a very high temperature
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Appointments and tests
If you have type 2 diabetes, you'll need check-ups to make sure your treatment is working, and your condition is being managed.
These include:
- checking your average blood glucose levels (an HbA1c test) every 3 to 6 months
- a foot check-up once every 2 years if your last check was OK, or once a year if you need it
- checking your weight, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, blood pressure and kidneys at least once a year
You or your child (aged 12 years and over) will also be offered diabetic eye screening when you're diagnosed, and reviewed every 1 or 2 years as part of the NHS diabetic retinopathy screening programme.
Other changes you may need to make
Managing type 2 diabetes may also involve making other changes, such as:
- wearing a medical ID wristband, in case of emergency
- remembering to pack medicines in your hand luggage when you go on holiday so you have it with you
- getting a letter from your GP to take with you when you go on holiday
If you have health problems caused by type 2 diabetes or you get hypos (a drop in blood glucose levels that can cause dizziness), you may need to contact the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Contraception, pregnancy and type 2 diabetes
If you're thinking of having a baby, and have type 2 diabetes, it's important to plan your pregnancy as soon as possible. This usually means:
- asking to be referred to a pre-conception clinic (if there's one available), or to a diabetes care team
- changing your medicines to ones that are safe to take in pregnancy
If you have type 2 diabetes, talk to a doctor about the best contraception to use and how to take or use it. These may include the combined pill, progestogen-only pill or contraception inserted into the womb (uterus).