Mixed
Achieving 6-7 guideline-recommended risk factor targets (non-smoking, physical activity, healthy diet, BMI 20-25, BP <140/90, HbA1c <7%, total cholesterol <5.2 mmol/L) eliminates the excess mortality risk and life expectancy loss associated with Type 2 Diabetes compared to non-diabetic individuals.
If you have Type 2 Diabetes, do not accept reduced life expectancy as inevitable. Focus on achieving seven specific health targets: never smoke, stay physically active (150+ mins/week moderate activity), eat a healthy diet (fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish), maintain a BMI between 20-25, keep blood pressure under 140/90, keep HbA1c under 7%, and keep total cholesterol under 5.2 mmol/L. Achieving 6 or 7 of these targets can reduce your mortality risk to the same level as someone without diabetes.
Individuals with T2D who achieved multiple risk factor targets had no significant excess mortality risk or reduction in life expectancy than those without diabetes.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort (UK Biobank, n=316,995) with long follow-up (median 13.8 years), though observational design precludes causal inference.
Source
Assessing the impact of type 2 diabetes on mortality and life expectancy according to the number of risk factor targets achieved: an observational study
Bin Wang et al. · BMC Medicine · 2024
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