6 Traits of People Less Likely to Get Diabetes: Do You Have Them?
Diabetes can be simply explained as a problem with the body's "sugar factory". Food we eat turns into glucose, which needs insulin—acting as a "delivery worker"—to transport it into cells for energy. When there’s not enough insulin or cells resist it, glucose accumulates in the blood, leading to high blood sugar and eventually diabetes.
China’s diabetes situation is alarming: over 140 million people have the disease (1 in 10), and many more are in the pre-diabetes stage without knowing it. However, some people avoid diabetes not by luck, but due to their lifestyle and physical traits. Here are 6 key traits:
- Moderate, balanced eating: Overeating overburdens insulin, while a diet lacking variety (high in sugar/fat) raises risk. Those who eat moderately and diversely lower their chances.
- Love for physical activity: Exercise boosts insulin sensitivity, helping cells absorb glucose. Even daily walking (like Japan’s "10,000 steps a day" habit) works, not just intense workouts.
- Regular sleep (no staying up late): Less than 6 hours of sleep nightly increases diabetes risk by over 30%, as it disrupts insulin secretion via stress hormones.
- Positive mindset: Stress raises glucocorticoid levels, which hike blood sugar. People with calm moods (e.g., those in rural areas with slower rhythms) face lower risk.
- No family history of diabetes: Having a diabetic immediate relative doubles/triples risk, but healthy habits can offset genetic factors.
- regular check-ups: Early detection of pre-diabetes (reversible with lifestyle changes) is key to preventing progression.
These traits, though ordinary, shape your diabetes risk. It’s never too late to adopt healthy habits—ignorance of health is scarier than diabetes itself.