Nationwide obesity, combined with genetic factors, makes diabetes a fact of life for our society, but no one needs to accept the eventual contraction of the disease as a foregone conclusion. There are measures you can take every day to give yourself the best chance of avoiding type 2 diabetes.

Citing a government study, a Health.com story posted on CNN offers five tips for preventing the disease: Maintain a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or below, don’t smoke, exercise at least 20 minutes a day, drink fewer than two alcoholic beverages daily and go easy on trans fats and saturated fats.

The National Cancer Institute-led study, which tracked 200,000 people — 9 percent of whom contracted the disease over the time — showed that those who maintained those lifestyle choices were the least likely victims.

Study highlights five keys to diabetes prevention [Health.com via CNN]

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