INTRODUCTION:

Since November is American Diabetes Month, I figured it would be a good idea to talk about prediabetes. Did you know that an estimated one-third of adults in the United States 20 years or older have prediabetes...an only 11% are aware that they have the disease? When you are prediabetic, your blood sugar level is higher than normal (but not high enough to be classified as diabetes). Below you will find signs/symptoms, risk factors, screening/diagnosis, and prevention/treatment options:

1. Sign/Symptoms – There are often no signs or symptoms when you are prediabetic. They usually develop slowly, over a period of time.
   
   
2. Risk Factors – If you are overweight and over the age of 45, make sure you receive a blood glucose test during your next physical. Also, if you are under the age of 45 and overweight, your doctor should recommend testing if you have any other risk factors for diabetes. Risk factors include; high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, family history, belonging to an ethnic or minority group at high risk for diabetes.
   
   
3. Screening/Diagnosis – Fasting blood glucose of 100 md/dl or lower is considered normal. Fasting blood glucose elevated to 100-125 mg/dl indicates pre-diabetes. Fasting blood glucose elevated to 126 mg/dl or higher indicates diabetes.
   
   
4. Prevention/Treatment – When you are diagnosed with prediabetes, you should do something about it! Some good prevention tips are: moderate weight loss (reduce your total body weight by 5 to 10%) and regular exercise (30 minutes a day). Early enough intervention can actually return elevated blood glucose levels to the normal range.

Watch the video below featuring the American Diabetes Association.

CONCLUSION: