Prevention and Prediabetes

Most people who have type 2 diabetes had a condition known as prediabetes for some time prior to developing the disease. In fact, there are 54 million people in the United States with prediabetes. In prediabetes, blood sugars are higher than normal but are not high enough to be considered diabetes. Individuals with prediabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and may already be at risk for heart and circulatory problems.

Landmark studies have shown controlling blood sugar levels can delay or possibly prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes altogether. Studies have shown that people who trimmed their weight by an average of 10-15 pounds and increased their physical activity to 30 minutes per day reduced their chance of developing diabetes by 58 percent. This means they also reduced their risk of heart attack and stroke.

Because prediabetes symptoms often go undetected, it is important to determine if you have the disease. The fasting plasma glucose test or the oral glucose tolerance test can be used. These tests measure blood glucose levels and can determine whether or not the metabolism is normal or if prediabetes or diabetes exists.

Discuss your risk factors, including past and current health conditions that may increase the likelihood of developing prediabetes with your physician, and take the FPG or OCTT test, if necessary. If your physician finds you have prediabetes, take the necessary steps now to control your blood sugar levels to decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.

For additional information, visit the American Diabetes Association Web site or call Lutheran Diabetes Education at (260) 435-7844.