People in Korea who live healthier lives—like eating well, exercising, and not smoking—are less likely to get type 2 diabetes, no matter their age, gender, family history, or where they live.

People in Korea who follow more healthy habits—like not smoking, exercising, eating well, and maintaining a healthy weight—are less likely to get type 2 diabetes. The more good habits they have, the lower their risk.

People in Korea who followed five healthy habits—like not smoking, exercising daily, drinking alcohol in moderation, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating mostly plant-based foods—were 56% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over nearly 18 years than those who followed few or none of these habits.

People who live healthier lives—like eating well and exercising—are less likely to get type 2 diabetes, especially if they’re not already taking medicine for it. This suggests that healthy habits might work better to prevent diabetes than to control it after you already have it.