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Type 2 diabetes prevention

Use our information and free resources on type 2 diabetes prevention below to help you, someone you're supporting or your community.   

Type 2 diabetes is high blood sugar levels which can cause serious health problems called complications. It is caused by a combination of factors.

If you have prediabetes, or have had gestational diabetes high blood sugar levels during pregnancy   you have a high risk of type 2 diabetes. 

By getting support to make health changes, we know it's sometimes possible to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, even if it runs in your family. 

Type 1 diabetes can’t yet be prevented, but we’re co-funding screening for children aged 2 to 17 which can help delay the development if there are early signs. 

How to prevent type 2 diabetes

Practical tips to help lower blood sugar levels.

How to prevent type 2 after gestational diabetes

Keeping blood sugar levels at a normal level after pregnancy.

Everything you need to know about prediabetes

How to stop prediabetes turning into type 2 diabetes.

NHS Type 2 prevention courses

Support if you have prediabetes or have had gestational. 

Healthy eating tips to lower type 2 risk

Simple tips for long-term health benefits.

Online tool to check your risk of type 2

Get your result and onward steps (unless you've had prediabetes or gestational diabetes).

Traffic light prevention tool after gestational diabetes (download)

NHS after-care checklist to help you prevent type 2 diabetes.

What is type 2 diabetes? two-minute video

From our playlist pick a version in English, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi or Sylheti. 

Understand your risk of type 2 (download)

Read in English, Arabic, Bengali, French, Gujarati, Polish, Punjabi, Chinese, Somali, Tamil, Urdu or Welsh.

How to find out your risk leaflet (download)

Read in English, Arabic, Bengali, French, Gujarati, Polish, Punjabi, Chinese, Somali, Tamil or Urdu.

Healthy eating tips for lowering type 2 risk (download)

Print off our two-page guide or store it somewhere handy.

Stigma and diabetes

Everybody at risk of type 2 diabetes or those with diabetes should be supported not judged. Needless shame caused by incorrect assumptions about the condition can stop people making health changes or going to NHS appointments.

Content last reviewed
27 January 2026
Next review due
27 January 2029
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