Diabetes Precursor: Signs, Causes, and Remedies
Prediabetes, a condition characterised by higher than normal blood sugar levels, is a significant health concern that can lead to serious long-term complications if not managed effectively. Approximately 25% to 50% of people with prediabetes will progress to type 2 diabetes without intervention, significantly increasing the risk of severe health issues.
Key long-term health outcomes and complications associated with prediabetes include an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, microvascular complications, cognitive decline, and dementia. Prediabetes is linked to a higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
Diabetes-related microvascular damage affects the eyes, kidneys, and nerves, leading to blindness, chronic kidney disease, and nerve dysfunction respectively. Prediabetes may also precede cognitive decline and dementia through its progression to diabetes. Additionally, those with prediabetes may face risks similar to diabetes patients in terms of hearing loss, gallstones, and increased vulnerability to vascular complications.
Early lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and weight management are critical to reversing prediabetes and preventing these long-term adverse effects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leads a program called the National Diabetes Prevention Program to help people with prediabetes lower their risk of type 2 diabetes by building new lifestyle habits. The program runs for a year and involves a lifestyle coach, a CDC-approved curriculum, handouts, lessons, a support group, and sessions tailored to an individual's needs, interests, and background.
People with prediabetes can prevent the condition by exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet with plenty of fiber, maintaining a moderate weight for their body type, taking any medications prescribed by a doctor, quitting smoking (if applicable), and limiting the amount of salt, added sugar, and carbohydrates in their diet.
Anyone between the ages of 45 and 70 should undergo prediabetes screening every 3 years, but those with risk factors may need to start screening earlier and get follow-ups more often. Parents and caregivers can help prevent diabetes in children by encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and engage in plenty of physical activity.
It is essential to note that prediabetes often does not have symptoms, but if they occur, they may include unexplained weight changes, increased appetite, weakness, fatigue, blurry vision, sweating, recurring gum bleeding or skin infections, and slow wound healing. A doctor may use a glucose tolerance test, fasting blood test, Hemoglobin A1C test, random plasma blood test, or a combination of these tests to diagnose or screen for prediabetes. The American Diabetes Association states that a doctor will diagnose prediabetes when test results show fasting blood sugar levels of 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), glucose tolerance levels of 140 to 200 mg/dl, or an A1C test result of 5.7% to 6.4%.
Prediabetes is reversible and lifestyle changes and weight management are the first-line treatment options. With a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and prescribed medical interventions, a person may be able to reverse prediabetes in about 6 to 12 months. Thus, prediabetes warrants medical attention to reduce future risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes-related complications, and premature death.
- Prediabetes, identified by higher than normal blood sugar levels, is a significant health concern that can lead to serious long-term complications.
- Without intervention, approximately 25% to 50% of people with prediabetes will progress to type 2 diabetes.
- Key long-term health outcomes associated with prediabetes include an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, microvascular complications, cognitive decline, and dementia.
- Prediabetes is linked to a higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
- Diabetes-related microvascular damage affects the eyes, kidneys, and nerves, leading to blindness, chronic kidney disease, and nerve dysfunction respectively.
- Prediabetes may also precede cognitive decline and dementia through its progression to diabetes.
- Those with prediabetes may face risks similar to diabetes patients in terms of hearing loss, gallstones, and increased vulnerability to vascular complications.
- Early lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, weight management, and a balanced diet are critical to reversing prediabetes and preventing these long-term adverse effects.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leads a program called the National Diabetes Prevention Program to help people with prediabetes lower their risk of type 2 diabetes.
- People with prediabetes should exercise regularly, maintain a moderate weight, take any medications prescribed by a doctor, quit smoking (if applicable), and limit the amount of salt, added sugar, and carbohydrates in their diet.
- Anyone between the ages of 45 and 70 should undergo prediabetes screening every 3 years, but those with risk factors may need to start screening earlier.
- Parents and caregivers can help prevent diabetes in children by encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and engage in plenty of physical activity.
- Symptoms of prediabetes may include unexplained weight changes, increased appetite, weakness, fatigue, blurry vision, sweating, recurring gum bleeding or skin infections, and slow wound healing.
- A doctor may use a glucose tolerance test, fasting blood test, Hemoglobin A1C test, random plasma blood test, or a combination of these tests to diagnose or screen for prediabetes.
- Prediabetes is reversible, and with a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and prescribed medical interventions, a person may be able to reverse prediabetes in about 6 to 12 months.
- Prediabetes warrants medical attention to reduce future risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes-related complications, and premature death. Health and wellness, fitness and exercise, nutrition, mental health, aging, women's health, men's health, sexual health, skin care, therapies and treatments, workplace-wellness, parenting, weight-management, Medicare, cbd, arthritis, rheumatoid, psoriasis, bipolar, chronic kidney disease, type-2-diabetes, and type-1-diabetes are all relevant topics when discussing prediabetes and its management.
