Prediabetes may go away with lifestyle changes, such as the following:
- Lose weight if you are overweight
- Change to a plant based diet
- Get regular exercise
A program offered through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-led National Diabetes Prevention Program is often recommended for people with prediabetes to help people lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58% (71% in people over age 60). The program includes:
- Working with a trained coach to make realistic, lasting lifestyle changes
- Learning how to eat healthy and add more physical activity into the day
- Finding out how to manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can slow progress
- Getting support from people with similar goals and challenges
What Are Symptoms of Prediabetes?
Prediabetes may have no symptoms, and the condition may not be diagnosed until serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes show up.
Symptoms of diabetes may include:
- Frequent urination
- Thirst
- Increased hunger
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Slow healing wounds
- Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)
What Causes Prediabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs when the body either does not produce sufficient amounts of insulin or it doesn’t use insulin properly, called insulin resistance, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise (hyperglycemia).
In prediabetes, the cells in the body respond abnormally to insulin, so the pancreas produces more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Eventually the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to meet the body’s needs and blood sugar rises.
Risk factors for prediabetes include:
- Being overweight/obese
- Age 45 years or older
- Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
- Being physically active less than 3 times a week
- Having a past history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Race and ethnicity: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at increased risk
How Is Prediabetes Diagnosed?
Prediabetes is diagnosed with a blood test to measure fasting blood sugar levels. Ranges are as follows in the table below.
| Blood Sugar Level | mg/dL |
|---|---|
| Normal | less than 100 mg/dL |
| Prediabetes | 100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL |
| Diabetes | 126 mg/dL or higher |
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https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/type-2/symptoms
https://www.diabetes.org/a1c/diagnosis