Your Cardiometabolic Risk

People with diabetes are more likely to be overweight and to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. At least one out of every five overweight people has several metabolic problems at once, which can lead to serious complications like heart disease. "Cardiometabolic risk" means that if you have one of these problems, you are at higher risk for having the others.

You may have heard the term "metabolic syndrome" to describe cardiometabolic risk. The term has been used to describe cardiometabolic risk factors, primarily overweight, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. It's better to think of these factors simply as raising your cardiometabolic risk. There doesn't seem to be enough evidence to say that these factors represent a "syndrome," and scientists don't even agree on what the various components of the "syndrome" are. The important thing for you is to know whether you have any of these risk factors, and if so to take active steps to improve them.

You may want to start by trying the new Diabetes PHD (Personal Health Decisions), our powerful new risk assessment tool. It can be used to explore the effects of a wide variety of health care interventions, including losing weight, stopping smoking, and taking certain medications. Ready? Click here to get your Diabetes PHD.

Before you get started with a diet and exercise program, talk to your health care professionals about a program that is safe and effective for you. There is a lot of great information to help you with weight loss and exercise right here at the Weight Loss Matters.

Ready to Change?
Yes, you'll want to make some changes. And that's not always easy. Change the habits that are easiest to change first. Just change one or two at a time. Write down a few changes you want to make to take care of your diabetes. For example, try one or two each in the area of food and physical activity, like:

• I'll eat one more serving of vegetables five days a week.
• I'll get off the bus before my usual stop and walk the rest of the way three days a week

Lose Weight.
By losing weight and keeping it off -- even 10 pounds can make a difference -- you can greatly improve your health. The key is to find a plan that helps you get to and maintain a healthy weight long term, not just for a few weeks or months.

Weight loss is all about calories. When you take in fewer calories than you lose through physical activity, you lose weight. You can learn more about how to figure out the right number of calories for you.

Get Physical.
Physical activity can help you lose weight by burning calories and building muscle. Regular physical exercise can help you reduce your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Activity helps you lower your blood glucose, lose weight, and improve blood fats and blood pressure. Learn more about how to make your daily activities count. Here are 3 simple steps to try today.

• Take the stairs!
• Put away that TV remote! Get up to change the channel.

Lower Blood Pressure.
Losing weight, changing your diet, and increasing your physical activity can lower your blood pressure. Your doctor may also prescribe medication. Learn more about high blood pressure and how your choices can affect it.

Lower Cholesterol.
You won't know that your lipids are at dangerous levels unless you have a blood test to check. Both lifestyle changes and medication help control blood lipids. Treatment differs from one person to the next. You can lower your LDL cholesterol through regular physical activity, and a diet low in saturated fats and high in fiber. Your doctor may also prescribe medication. Learn how to lower your cholesterol with a healthy meal plan.

Stop Smoking.
Scientists agree that smoking can make any of the cardiometabolic problems worse. There are many ways to quit. Talk to your doctor about how to quit and avoid weight gain. Learn more about smoking and how to quit.