What you can do

• Get tested. A third of the nearly 21 million Americans with diabetes don’t know they have it, which means their disease isn’t being managed. To avoid the same fate, get your blood sugar tested regularly, especially if you’re overweight and older than 45—both of which increase your risks. Under age 45, you should also get screened if you’re overweight and have another risk factor such as a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or low HDL cholesterol with high triglycerides.

• Eat whole foods. Yes, they’re healthier and more natural than processed foods high in sugar, fat, and sodium. But specifically, just one daily serving of leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, and spinach, or three servings of whole fruit such as apples, bananas, oranges, and watermelon, can significantly reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in women, revealed a recent Tulane University study. Also, consider making your produce organic: Pesticides have been linked to a higher risk of diabetes in preliminary research from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

• Get food smart. Go to diabetes.org to access the American Diabetes Association’s MyFoodAdvisor, a user-friendly tool that provides nutrient information on hundreds of foods and lets you make head-to-head comparisons of different items. (Did you know, for instance, that plain bagels have significantly more calories, carbohydrates and sodium than oat-bran bagels?) Clicking “find a healthier alternative” for any food gives you dozens of options.

• Activate your body. Physical activity directly works against the underlying problem of diabetes by lowering blood sugar and making cells more sensitive to insulin. As a result, many people with diabetes who exercise are able to cut back on medication and even insulin injections. But activity also tackles some of the most significant risks associated with diabetes, raising “good” HDL cholesterol while lowering “bad” LDL and triglycerides; bringing down blood pressure, and burning off excess calories that can lead to overweight. Don’t belong to a gym? Make it a point to do an errand or two on foot every day. You’ll lower your carbon footprint even as you raise your chances of staying healthy and medication-free.

• Lose weight. Eating healthier and moving more can both help you achieve this key goal. In the landmark federal study The Diabetes Prevention Program, overweight people who dropped just 5 to 7 percent of their body weight with lifestyle changes reduced their risk of developing diabetes by a whopping 58 percent. And the earlier you start, the better: Even after developing diabetes, people who lose a moderate amount of weight (about 9 pounds on average) within 18 months of diagnosis are up to twice as likely to achieve healthy blood sugar and blood pressure goals even when the weight comes back, according to a recent study.