Pre-diabetes describes a condition where blood sugar is high, but not high enough to be considered diabetes.  More than a third of adults have pre-diabetes and 85% of those with the condition are not aware of it.  Pre-diabetes raises the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke.  Even at the prediabetes stage, the risk for heart disease jumps 30 to 50 percent compared to those with normal blood sugar levels.  Pre-diabetes often has no symptoms.  Although it may sound benign, pre-diabetes is a serious health condition.  Diabetes creates a lot of challenges to manage, so the best way to reduce the risk of diabetes is to manage pre-diabetes.  The good news?  Pre-diabetes can be delayed or prevented in some people.  Even small changes can slow down or prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes.
What can you do to reduce the risk of pre-diabetes and diabetes?
  • Manage your weight.  Overweight is generally defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater and obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or greater.  If you are overweight, even losing a few pounds can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
  • Stop smoking: Tobacco use greatly increases the risk of developing pre-diabetes and diabetes.
  • Diet: make healthier eating choices, including reducing or eliminating the use of sugary drinks, eating fewer processed foods, eating lean meats and plant-based proteins, and increasing non-starchy vegetable consumption.
  • Get active on a regular basis.  Aim for 150 minutes a week of exercise.  If you can’t do 30 minutes of exercise at a time, try shorter sessions of exercise.  And don’t forget that walking is a great form of exercise and movement. Check with your physician if you have health concerns or haven’t been active for a while and remember to start slowly.
The American Diabetes Association has information on pre-diabetes, including action you can take to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes, at  Prediabetes: What it Means & What You Can Do |ADA
Speak to your doctor if you are concerned about having diabetes or pre-diabetes.  The American Diabetes Association offers a test to find out if you are at risk for diabetes at 60-Second Risk Test for Type 2 Diabetes| ADA which you can use as a discussion point with your physician. The only way to know if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes is to have your physician run a blood test.