Prediabetes is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for the condition to be diagnosed as diabetes. Taking steps now to manage your body weight and diet can prevent prediabetes from worsening into a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis.
Testing and Diagnosis
There are usually no obvious symptoms for prediabetes. Prediabetes is usually diagnosed with the following test results:
Fasting (no food or water intake overnight) glucose levels between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/L
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test of 7.8 to 11.0 mmol/L
Hemoglobin A1C greater than 6.0%
Who should be concerned?
Individuals with the following risk factors should be screened:
Over the age of 40
Do not engage in regular physical activities
Family history of diabetes
Overweight or obese
History of gestational diabetes
High blood pressure
Here’s a questionnaire to help you assess your risk levels.
What can I do if I have prediabetes?
Even after you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, you can still take measures to prevent it from progressing into diabetes:
Fat deposit in the abdomen is an important predictor for diabetes. Having a high amount of body fat can make your body less sensitive to insulin. If you are overweight, manage your body weight through exercise and changing your diet.
Reduce the amount of saturated and trans fat in your diet.
Physical activities help remove sugar in the blood as the body cells use it for energy during exercise. Exercise can also improve insulin sensitivity.
Monitor and track blood glucose levels for trends and changes.
DISCLAIMER: THE CONTENT IN THIS POST SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OR REPLACE THE ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH.