What is prediabetes—and what does it mean for your health?

You’re familiar with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, but how much do you know about prediabetes? This condition can be a precursor to developing Type 2 diabetes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes. Many more are at risk—nearly 98 million U.S. adults have prediabetes, with blood sugar levels higher than normal but not yet at the level of Type 2 diabetes. That’s more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults.

The good news is that a prediabetes diagnosis does not mean you will inevitably develop Type 2 diabetes. You can take steps to lower your blood sugar into a healthier range and prevent diabetes. The team of providers at the Touro Diabetes Center sheds some light on the topic below.

Understanding prediabetes

Two main types of blood tests are used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes: the fasting plasma glucose test and the A1C test, sometimes called the hemoglobin A1C test. These two tests measure blood sugar in different ways.

Fasting plasma glucose tests are often ordered as part of routine blood work during annual checkups. This screening measures your blood sugar (or blood glucose) at the time of the test. A blood glucose of less than 100 mg/dL is considered normal, while a reading of 100 to 125 mg/dL may indicate prediabetes.

The A1C test, on the other hand, measures your average blood glucose levels over a three-month period. An A1C of less than 5.7% is considered normal, while an average blood sugar level of 5.7 to 6.4% is considered prediabetes.

People with prediabetes are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, but you can take action to prevent that from happening.

What you can do to lower your risk

Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes share common risk factors. For example, there’s a known connection between insulin resistance and prediabetes.

Insulin resistance renders the body unable to use insulin effectively, which means the body can’t turn the sugar in foods into energy. This causes an excessive amount of sugar to remain in your blood, which is what causes prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Other risk factors include:

• Being African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Hispanic or Latino
• Being age 45 or older
• Being overweight or obese
• Being physically inactive
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Having had gestational diabetes
• Having high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• Having metabolic syndrome
• Having polycystic ovary syndrome

While you can’t control your family medical history, your age and certain other factors, you can take steps to prevent Type 2 diabetes by changing your lifestyle habits. The American Diabetes Association notes that moderate lifestyle changes can prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes.

Take steps in that direction by incorporating more physical activity into your daily life. Briskly walk, swim or garden to get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week.

Getting regular exercise and simply moving your body more can help you mitigate another risk factor for prediabetes and diabetes—being overweight. Losing weight by exercising and eating a healthy diet is a key step toward lowering blood sugar and preventing Type 2 diabetes.

You can also lower your risk by quitting smoking, managing chronic health conditions and finding healthy ways to manage stress. A prediabetes diagnosis isn’t final; it’s simply your sign to change your habits.

Think you may have diabetes? Talk with your provider about your symptoms, or learn more about Diabetes Management programs at the Touro Diabetes Center.