Published:
October 19, 2022
If your blood glucose (sugar) level was slightly elevated at your last check-up, your doctor may have said you have prediabetes. This means your sugar level is higher than normal, but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Still, people with prediabetes are on the road to developing type 2 diabetes and are also at increased risk for health problems like stroke and heart disease.
The good new is that it’s not a given that you’ll eventually get type 2 diabetes. Making lifestyle changes now can put you on the road to better health.
Type 2 Diabetes On The Rise
With diagnoses of type 2 diabetes surging in the United States over the past 10 years, I have this conversation in my office several times a week. The American Diabetes Association estimates 86 million Americans are prediabetic. Studies suggest up to 11% of them graduate to a diagnosis of diabetes each year.
Fortunately, we know how to delay or prevent diabetes from developing.
Losing Weight Can Reduce Glucose Levels
Many studies have looked at the benefits of diet, exercise, and medication in preventing diabetes. While medications such as metformin can be used to treat prediabetes, they don’t fix the long term problem—they only seem to DELAY progression to diabetes for a few years.
The only way to truly prevent an eventual diagnosis of diabetes—in which your body is no longer using sugar properly—is to change your lifestyle. In fact, losing 5-10% of your body weight will drastically cut your risk of diabetes by double the amount of medication alone.
Don’t underestimate the power of regular exercise. One study showed a daily walking program lowered average blood sugars, even if the patients did not lose weight.
How To Prevent Prediabetes From Becoming Diabetes
Here are a few tips to help you on your journey to a healthier lifestyle
- Change your diet in a way that leads to a sustainable lifestyle change. The Diabetes and Nutrition Center at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health has an excellent class designed specifically for people with prediabetes to help them get started and set realistic goals. Since insurances typically do not pay for this service, it’s offered at a significantly reduced rate.
- Get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Start slow, five or 10 minutes daily, and work your way up. Walking, swimming, bicycling are also good choices to get you moving.
- Talk to your doctor about whether a trial of a medication such as metformin is right for you.
- Follow up regularly with your doctor to monitor your progress and watch for other health problems related to prediabetes.
Find Out Your Risk
If you’re age 45 or older, you should be screened for prediabetes. If you’re younger, you should be screened if you:
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Have a history of diabetes during pregnancy
- Don’t exercise regularly
- Are overweight
- Have high cholesterol or high blood pressure
- Are African American or Hispanic descent
Screening for prediabetes involves a fasting blood test to see how your body is using sugar. If you’re diagnosed with prediabetes, your doctor should follow your blood sugar yearly to check that it hasn’t progressed to diabetes.
What You Can Do Now
One in 3 American adults has prediabetes, and more than 84% of people with prediabetes don’t know they have it. So, take the risk test now to see where you stand.
TAKE THE RISK TEST
HAGA LA EVALUACION DE RIESGO