Learn how proactive management and lifestyle changes can help individuals with prediabetes live healthy, productive lives and possibly reverse the condition.
prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type-2 diabetes.
Prediabetes, as the name implies, is a precursor to full-blown type-2 diabetes. It's a condition where your blood sugar levels are elevated but not high enough to meet the criteria for diabetes. If left unchecked, prediabetes can progress to type-2 diabetes, a chronic disease with significant health implications.
However, it's important to note that having prediabetes doesn't guarantee you'll get type-2 diabetes. With lifestyle changes, you can slow the progression or even reverse the condition.
The exact cause of prediabetes is unknown. It's linked to insulin resistance, where your body doesn't use insulin properly, leading to high blood glucose levels. Factors contributing to insulin resistance include excess body weight, lack of physical activity and a diet high in saturated and trans fats.
Prediabetes typically has no apparent symptoms. Some people with prediabetes may have symptoms of type-2 diabetes or even signs of problems linked to diabetes, such as heart disease, but these are generally not noticeable enough to prompt an individual to visit a doctor.
Doctors usually diagnose prediabetes based on blood sugar levels, and this can be done through a fasting blood glucose test, an oral glucose tolerance test, or a Hemoglobin A1C (or HbA1c) test. The HbA1c test is often preferred because it gives an average blood glucose level over the past 2-3 months and doesn't require fasting.
Pre-diabetes treatment focuses on lifestyle changes which include:
In some cases, doctors may prescribe medication to manage blood sugar levels.
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