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.

We analyzed the available evidence and found that a healthy lifestyle is consistently linked to a lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes in Korean adults. What we’ve found so far suggests that people who follow healthy habits—like not smoking, exercising daily, drinking alcohol in moderation, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating mostly plant-based foods—are 56% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over nearly 18 years compared to those who follow few or none of these habits [1]. This pattern held true across different ages, genders, family histories, and regions within Korea, meaning the connection appears strong regardless of personal background [2]. We reviewed 118 studies or assertions related to this question, and none of them contradicted these findings. Both sets of evidence—59 supporting each claim—point to the same conclusion: healthier behaviors are tied to a reduced likelihood of type 2 diabetes. We did not find any data suggesting these habits increase risk or have no effect. The evidence we’ve reviewed leans toward the idea that daily choices around food, movement, and lifestyle play a meaningful role in diabetes risk among Korean adults. This doesn’t mean a healthy lifestyle guarantees someone won’t get type 2 diabetes, but it does suggest that making these changes may help lower the chance. If you’re a Korean adult looking to reduce your risk, focusing on habits like staying active, eating more plants, avoiding smoking, and keeping a healthy weight appears to be a consistent pattern in the data we’ve seen so far.