By Blua Digital health by Bupa
6 minute read
Published 3 September 2026
Blua Digital health by Bupa
Blua is Bupa’s new home for digital health services like online doctor appointments and delivery of prescription items and over-the-counter goods.
By Blua Digital health by Bupa
You might have heard the term ‘metabolic health’ but wondered what it actually means.
Your metabolism is the process by which your body turns food and drink into energy and uses it to keep you functioning.
Metabolic health is a broad term for how well your body manages the processes involved in metabolism.
It includes things such as:
There isn't one test that tells you whether your metabolic health is optimal. Instead, there's a range of factors that help assess your health and your risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.1
Changes in your metabolic health can happen gradually, and you may not notice anything is wrong.
For example, your body may become less sensitive to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose from your blood into your cells for energy. When your body doesn't respond to insulin as well as it should, this is called insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance can contribute to rising blood glucose levels and increase your risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.2
Having several metabolic risk factors at the same time can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and other health conditions. This combination is sometimes called metabolic syndrome.1
These terms sound similar, but they mean different things.
Metabolic health is a broad term that describes factors such as blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin sensitivity and waist circumference.
Metabolic syndrome is a specific medical term for having a combination of metabolic risk factors. These can include high blood pressure, excess abdominal weight, unhealthy cholesterol or triglyceride levels and insulin resistance. Having 3 or more of these risk factors may mean you have metabolic syndrome.1
Some things that affect your metabolic health can't be changed. These include your age, family history and some genetic factors.
Other factors can be influenced by your everyday habits and healthcare.
Regular physical activity can help your body use insulin more effectively and can have positive effects on blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.
Australia's 24-hour movement guidelines recommend adults are active every day, including moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days each week. It also recommends limiting prolonged sitting and getting enough good-quality sleep.3
You don't need to start with a big change.. Doing some activity is better than doing none, and you can build up gradually.
A healthy eating pattern can support your blood glucose, cholesterol and overall health.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating a variety of foods from the 5 food groups, including vegetables, fruit, wholegrain and high-fibre cereal foods, lean meats and alternatives, and reduced-fat dairy or alternatives. It also recommends limiting foods and drinks high in saturated fat, added salt and added sugars.4
There isn't one eating pattern that works for everyone. The aim is to find healthy choices you can maintain over time.
Having more fat around your waist is associated with insulin resistance and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.1,2
Weight is only one part of metabolic health, though. People can have metabolic risk factors at different body sizes, so it's important to look at your overall health rather than focusing on weight alone.
If weight loss is appropriate for you, even a modest amount of weight loss can improve some metabolic risk factors and help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.5
Sleep is also an important part of your overall health.
It’s recommended Australian adults aged 18 to 64 get 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep each night, with consistent bed and wake-up times where possible.3
If you're regularly struggling to sleep or waking feeling unrefreshed, talk to your GP about what might be contributing.
Smoking increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems.
Drinking too much alcohol can also affect your health. If you drink alcohol, Australian guidelines recommend limiting your intake to reduce health risks.6
Your metabolic health and your risk of type 2 diabetes are closely connected.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when your blood glucose levels become too high. This can happen when your body becomes resistant to insulin and, over time, isn't able to produce enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels within a healthy range.3
This process can happen gradually.
Prediabetes is when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. People with prediabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.2
This is where metabolic health can be useful for understanding your risk.
It brings together several factors that can influence your health, rather than focusing only on your blood glucose level.
There are things you can do to support your metabolic health, even if you have risk factors you can't change.
Start with changes that are realistic for you. For example:
Move more. Find ways to be active that you enjoy and gradually build up the amount you do.
Eat well. Choose mostly nutritious foods and limit foods and drinks high in saturated fat, added salt and added sugars.
Break up sitting time. If you sit for long periods, get up and move regularly.
Prioritise sleep. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep each night if you're an adult aged 18 to 64.3
Don't smoke. If you smoke, getting support to quit can improve your health.
Look after your blood pressure and cholesterol. Regular health checks can help identify changes you may not notice yourself.
Know your diabetes risk. Completing the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool, known as AUSDRISK, can help estimate your risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next 5 years.7
Small changes can add up over time.
If you're concerned about your metabolic health or your risk of type 2 diabetes, make an appointment with your GP.
They can help you understand your individual risk and may check things such as your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.
If you've been diagnosed with prediabetes, there are steps you can take that may help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.2
Understanding your risk is a good place to start. The next step is finding changes that work for you and making them part of your everyday life.
At Bupa, trust is everything
Our health and wellbeing information is regularly reviewed and maintained by a team of healthcare experts, to ensure its relevancy and accuracy. Everyone's health journey is unique and health outcomes vary from person to person.
This content is not a replacement for personalised and specific medical, healthcare, or other professional advice. If you have concerns about your health, see your doctor or other health professional.
1 Healthdirect Australia. (n.d.). Metabolic syndrome. Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
2 Diabetes Australia. (n.d.). Prediabetes.
3 Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. (2026). Australian 24-hour movement guidelines for adults (18–64 years) and older adults (65+ years): An integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep.
4 National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013). Australian dietary guidelines. Australian Government.
5 Diabetes Australia. (n.d.). Healthy living.
6 National Health and Medical Research Council. (2020). Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol. Australian Government.
7 Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. (2025). The Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AUSDRISK).
This collection of conditions can increase the risk of serious health issues.
Prediabetes can be an early warning sign. Learn what it means, what ‘reversal’ involves and practical steps that may help.
Type 2 diabetes can develop silently. Learn your risk factors, what prediabetes means and practical steps that may help.
Left unmanaged, hyperglycaemia can have serious consequences for your health. Here’s how to spot the early warning signs.
Bupa acknowledges and shows respect to the Traditional Custodians of Australian land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and recognise their cultural heritage, beliefs, and continuing connection to land, waters, and community. We embrace their knowledge on how to protect and nurture these lands, and all they contain, to keep this country and people healthy.
