Prediabetes: What Does it Mean and What Should I Do?

By Rosalyn V. Frazier PharmD Candidate, 2019

Sponsored by Cannon Pharmacy

March 26 has been designated as ALERT! Day by the American Diabetes Association. It’s a day designed to sound the alarm about type 2 diabetes by asking everyone to take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test. It’s free and only takes a minute to complete.

Nine out of 10 Americans most at risk for diabetes don’t know it. Taking 60 seconds to find out if you are one of them is the first step toward a healthier life.

What is Prediabetes? Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for you to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Approximately 84 million American adults have prediabetes.

If you have prediabetes, consider it an early warning. Diabetes is a condition that increases your risk for heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and loss of toes, feet, or legs.

Risk Factors for Prediabetes

• Being overweight

• Being 45 years of age or older

• Having a parent, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes

• Not being physically active at least three times a week

• Having diabetes during pregnancy or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than nine pounds

• Race and ethnicity: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders and some Asian Americans are at higher risk.

What You Should Do if Told You Have Prediabetes?

• Lose weight: Losing 5 to 7 percent of your body weight (10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person) lowers your risk.

• Be active: Get at least 30 minutes of moderately-intense exercise five days a week.

• Quit smoking: Smoking increases inflammation and stress in your body, damaging it and increasing your risk of developing diabetes.