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Based on an average of recent blood sugar levels, more than 3.2 million people have an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in the UK. Additionally, an estimate of over 1.2 million people may be living with prediabetes but are yet to be diagnosed.
Being diagnosed with prediabetes does not mean you have diabetes, but rather, you can still prevent or delay its progression into Type 2 diabetes. In this guide, we take a look at what prediabetes is, how it is diagnosed and how you can prevent it from developing into Type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes is a health condition where blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but they are not high enough for a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. This means you are at an increased risk of developing diabetes, and you still have a chance of preventing or delaying it from happening.
Unfortunately, prediabetes can be hard to detect as there are usually no symptoms. If you begin to experience any symptoms, this usually means you have developed Type 2 diabetes. Although there are no actual symptoms of prediabetes, you could experience:
If you are concerned and think you could have prediabetes, you should contact your GP and ask for a blood test. The GP will arrange a blood test to check your blood sugar levels. The most common test used to check for prediabetes or diabetes is HbA1c. This test measures your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months.
Some other examples of blood tests used to measure blood glucose include the Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) Test, which measures blood glucose after fasting for eight hours, and the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), which measures blood glucose before and two hours after drinking a glucose-rich beverage.
If your blood sugar levels are high, your GP will explain what this means and what you can do to reduce your sugar levels. If you are experiencing no symptoms, you will most likely have to do the blood test again to confirm the results.
Your prediabetes test results will confirm whether you have normal glucose levels, high glucose levels, or Type 2 diabetes. Here’s what your results mean:
This means if your results show a 42 blood sugar level or higher, you have crossed the threshold for prediabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is caused when insulin in your body doesn’t work as it should, leading to rising blood sugar levels. This means more insulin is then released, which can eventually tire the pancreas out and cause the body to make less and less insulin. This can lead to higher sugar levels as the insulin released does not work as it should, and there isn’t enough of it being produced.
There are several risk factors that can increase your risk of developing diabetes. For example:
Age: You are more at risk if you are white and over 40 years old or African-Caribbean, Black African or South Asian, and over 25 years old.
Genetics: You are two to six times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if you have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
Ethnicity: You are two to four times more likely to develop diabetes if you are of South Asian, African-Caribbean, or Black African descent.
Blood Pressure: You are at a higher risk if you have had high blood pressure.
Weight: You are more at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes if you are overweight or live with obesity.
Environmental Factors: You could be at greater risk if you experience poverty, deprivation, or inequality.
If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, this is your sign to make some changes to prevent Type 2 diabetes. With a mixture of lifestyle interventions and changes to your diet, you could reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by about 50%. Here are some examples of the interventions you could put in place to minimise your risk:
Several diets are linked to reducing your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. For example, the Mediterranean diet, a vegetarian diet, or a Nordic diet are all balanced diets that you could try. Essentially, you want to eat more foods linked to reducing the risk of diabetes, such as fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, and yoghurt.
Even losing small amounts of weight can be beneficial. Losing 5% of your body weight can effectively reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, particularly if you are living with obesity.
A little goes a long way with exercising. By simply walking around when taking phone calls, using the stairs instead of the lift, going for a daily walk, or using a standing desk, you can reduce the risk of your prediabetes developing further.
Many people have prediabetes without knowing it. Millions in the UK may have undiagnosed diabetes, making education about symptoms crucial. With early detection, we can prevent prediabetes from progressing, allowing for timely interventions. At Home Health, we have a database of knowledge dedicated to Diabetes to keep you informed and give you peace of mind.
If you are already living with diabetes, we also have a comprehensive range of Diabetes-Related Products so you can handle your blood sugar levels easily.
Your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, meaning the insulin your body produces will have to work harder to regulate your blood sugar effectively. Over time, your body will become less responsive to insulin. This is when you might experience no symptoms at all or begin to experience subtle symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, or unexplained fatigue.
Although prediabetes is not as severe as Type 2 diabetes, it can still cause long term damage to your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys.
Prediabetes can be reversible as you can prevent yourself from developing Type 2 diabetes by making some lifestyle changes. The main lifestyle changes people implement include eating a healthier and more balanced diet, managing their weight better, and exercising more.
Prediabetic describes blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. This is still good news as you can potentially avoid or delay diabetes. Simple changes to your diet and exercise routine can help lower your blood sugar levels.
If you have taken a Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) Test, your test result will correspond with the following:
This means a blood sugar level of 5.4 mmol/L is normal, and you do not have prediabetes.
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