How to reboot YOUR HEALTH...

...and avoid type 2 diabetes. It's at an all-time high in the UK, but half of all diagnoses could be prevented or delayed. Here's how

- KARREN EVENETT

Reality check

Even if you manage to reverse type 2 diabetes, this will be a remission - not a cure. "You'll have to work hard to keep it at bay and avoid serious complications such as heart disease, blindness and amputation,' says Professor Roy Taylor, author of Life Without Diabetes. But there's plenty you can do to reduce your risk in the first place.

ARE YOU SITTING (TOO) COMFORTABLY?

Make an effort to move as often as you can. Even if you take the recommended 150 minutes of exercise in a week, your risk of type 2 is raised if you spend most of the remainder of your time at a desk or on a sofa. 'Weight loss through diet reverses type 2 diabetes reliably, but exercise will help prevent its onset or maintain a remission,' says Professor Taylor.

RED FLAGS

Symptoms such as being really thirsty, feeling more tired than usual, and needing to wee more often are signs you may have diabetes. Type 2 develops more slowly than type 1, especially in the early stages, when it can be harder to spot the symptoms.

FAST SENSIBLY

There's evidence that a 12-hour overnight fast can help keep your blood sugar in check, but only if you do it sensibly, says Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of Natural Solutions to Diabetes. 'Try to have your breakfast at 7am and dinner at 7pm. In study, people who ate too close to bedtime burned 10% less fat overnight than when they stopped eating at least three hours before bed!'

Worth the weight?