Many of us have loved ones who have become diabetic in their later years.

In fact, type 2 diabetes, or “adult-onset” diabetes, accounts for more than 90 percent of all currently diagnosed cases.

The good news is that this serious disease is largely preventable. Even individuals at the greatest risk for developing it can take effective steps to avoid it.

Physical activity, weight management and a healthy diet are the three most effective weapons we have to fight diabetes.

Summer gives us many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, so let’s focus on how exercise can help prevent this disease.

First, we need to refresh our understanding of how diabetes affects the body.

The digestive system breaks down the food we eat into simple sugars called glucose and sends them into the bloodstream. The pancreas creates insulin, which regulates the movement of these sugars from the blood into the cells. Our cells then use these sugars to make energy.

With diabetes, either the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin or the cells resist insulin. The result? The cells have difficulty accessing the sugars and cannot produce the energy we need for healing, for maintenance — for life.

Thankfully, studies have shown that physical activity improves the cells’ ability to use available insulin. Also, exercise enables the cells to absorb sugars through a mechanism totally different from insulin, diabetes.org.

Second, we need to know if we are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

We are at risk if we are prediabetic. Prediabetes is simply a higher than normal blood sugar level. Without intervention, people with prediabetes are likely to contract full-blown diabetes within 10 years.

Most people who have prediabetes don’t even know it.

The statistics are staggering: 37 percent of U.S. adults age 20 and older have prediabetes, which is more than 86 million Americans. But only 11.1 percent of these Americans know that they have it, because they do not necessarily experience symptoms, according to the National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2014.

To check for prediabetes, we can ask a trusted health professional to run blood sugar tests. This is especially recommended for those of us with risk factors such as age (over 45), weight (overweight or obese), inactivity, family history of diabetes and/or a previous diagnosis of gestational diabetes.

There is hope, however: prediabetes is reversible. Exercise can help restore healthy blood sugar levels. Brisk walking or an equivalent activity for 30 minutes, five times a week should be our minimum standard, whether or not we have prediabetes.

For some of us, working up to that level may take some time and support. Small lifestyle changes like adding a walk into our everyday routine can make a big difference.

At the Niles-Buchanan YMCA, our staff is trained to help you safely increase your physical activity. In addition, our Diabetes Prevention Program helps at-risk individuals ward off type 2 diabetes through small group support, education and exercise.

Let’s all take some steps this summer to fight diabetes.

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Chrissie Kaufmann is a certified fitness instructor at the Niles-Buchanan YMCA.