Prediabetes is a warning sign that your body is not functioning at its best, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. One in three Americans have prediabetes, and many people are unaware they even have it.
Prediabetes is a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body does not use insulin properly (known as insulin resistance). A person has prediabetes when their blood sugar levels are elevated but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, you have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In type 2 diabetes, the cells in the body fail to properly respond to insulin, which results in higher blood glucose levels, called hyperglycemia, when glucose struggles to move from the bloodstream into cells. Hyperglycemia can lead to severe health issues, including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and blindness.
Who is at risk of developing pre-diabetes?
The common risk factors include for having pre-diabetes include:
- Obesity
- Being older than 45
- Exercising less than three times a week
- Family history of type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
- Sleep problems such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, or sleep disturbances
- Delivering a baby over 9 pounds
Screening for prediabetes
Screening for prediabetes usually involves tests such as A1C, fasting blood sugar, or glucose tolerance tests. The following results indicate prediabetes:
- An A1C result between 5.7% and 6.4%
- A fasting blood sugar test result between 100 and 125 mg/dL
- A glucose tolerance result between 140 and 199 mg/dL
You can learn more about how to interpret and understand your heart and metabolic test results, including the A1C test, here.
What are the treatment options for prediabetes?
Generally, the first step before (or after) being diagnosed with prediabetes is to focus on a good, healthy diet, increase physical activity and maintain a healthy weight.
Modest weight loss can have a major impact on diabetes prevention. You can significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by losing just 5-7% of your body weight (10-14 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds) and making healthy changes to your diet and exercise routine. Although weight loss is beneficial, achieving it through sustainable lifestyle changes has a more positive and lasting impact.
If diet and exercise changes don’t help you achieve better blood sugar levels, your provider may discuss medication to help you. Metformin is a common medication some providers recommend to help lower your A1C. There are also medications such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), which help people with diabetes lower their blood sugar and also potentially lose weight. Learn more about those medications here.
Prediabetes is reversible
The younger you are, the easier it is to manage and possibly even reverse prediabetes. Glucose tolerance declines with age, making it more difficult to control over time. The sooner it’s diagnosed, the sooner you have a treatment plan — and a clear path to protecting your health.
It’s important to stay up-to-date with your health and know your numbers. You should know your weight, blood pressure, and A1C. If your results indicate an issue, now is the time to start making meaningful changes.
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Read more
Understanding your heart and metabolic test results
What is cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome?
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.-a). National Diabetes Statistics Report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html
- Katella, K. (2023, October 23). Prediabetes is on the rise-but it can be reversed. Yale Medicine. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/prediabetes
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, November 11). Prediabetes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prediabetes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355284
- Visitors, P. &. (2024, December 1). Prediabetes: Endocrinology and diabetes. Prediabetes | Endocrinology and Diabetes. https://health.ucdavis.edu/conditions/endocrinology-diabetes/diabetes/prediabetes#:~:text=You’re%20more%20likely%20to,stroke%20also%20increases%20your%20risk.
