Pre-Diabetes

What is pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes is a condition that comes before
type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose (sugar) levels are

higher than normal but aren’t high enough to be

called diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a silent disease,
meaning you can have it but not know it. The
good news is that cutting back on calories and
fat, being physically active, and losing weight
can reverse pre-diabetes and therefore delay or
prevent type 2 diabetes. Diabetes doesn’t go
away once you have it, so it’s better to
prevent it in the first place.
How can type 2 diabetes be
delayed or prevented?
In a recent study, people at high risk for type 2
diabetes greatly reduced their risk of getting it by
eating less than usual, increasing their physical
activity, and losing weight. They
• cut down on fat
• cut back on calories
• exercised about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a
week, usually by brisk walking
• lost weight—an average of 15 pounds in the
first year of the study
These strategies worked equally well for men
and women and particularly well for people aged
60 and older. Several other studies also have
shown that type 2 diabetes can be delayed or
prevented.
Am I likely to have pre-diabetes?
As you get older, especially if you’re overweight,
your chances of having pre-diabetes increase.
Your doctor should check your blood glucose
level if you are
• 45 or older and overweight
• under age 45 and overweight and have
other risk factors for diabetes
If you are 45 or older and your weight is normal,
ask your doctor if you need to be checked for
pre-diabetes.
Are you at increased risk
for diabetes?
You’re at risk for diabetes if you
• are overweight
• are physically inactive
• have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes
• are African American, Native American,
Asian American, Pacific Islander, or
Hispanic American
• have had a baby weighing more than 9
pounds or have had gestational diabetes
• have high blood pressure (over 140/90
mmHg)
• have low HDL cholesterol (35 mg/dl or lower)
or high triglycerides (250 mg/dl or higher)
Pre-diabetes is a condition that comes before type 2
diabetes.
Toolkit No. 1
All About Pre-Diabetes
How can I find out whether
I have pre-diabetes?
Pre-diabetes has no symptoms. You’ll need a
blood test to check your blood glucose level.
Your doctor will use one of these two tests:
The fasting plasma glucose test measures your
blood glucose after you have gone overnight
without eating. This test is most reliable when
done in the morning. Pre-diabetes is diagnosed
when fasting glucose levels are between 100
and 125 mg/dl. These glucose levels are
above normal but not high enough to be
called diabetes. A fasting plasma glucose
of 126 mg/dl or higher means diabetes.
The oral glucose tolerance test measures your
blood glucose after an overnight fast and 2
hours after you drink a sweet liquid provided
by the doctor or laboratory. Pre-diabetes is
diagnosed when blood glucose is between
140 and 199 mg/dl 2 hours after drinking the
liquid. These glucose levels are above normal
but not high enough to be called diabetes. A
2-hour blood glucose of 200 mg/dl or higher
means diabetes.
How can I reverse pre-diabetes?
To help bring your blood glucose levels back
to normal, you can
• cut back on calories and fat
• increase your physical activity
Doing so will make it more likely that you’ll
lose weight. If you’re overweight, losing 5 to 7
percent of your total weight can help you a lot.
For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, your
goal would be to lose 10 to 15 pounds.
Cutting Back on Calories and Fat
Place a check mark next to steps you’d like to
try for cutting down on calories and fat.
❒ I’ll cut back on my usual serving sizes.
❒ I’ll order the smallest portion size when I’m
eating out. Or I’ll share an entree.
❒ I’ll try calorie-free drinks or water instead of
regular soft drinks and juice.
❒ I’ll try low-fat versions of the foods I usually
eat. I’ll check the labels to make sure the
calories are reduced too.
❒ When cooking, I’ll bake, broil, or grill and
use nonstick pans and cooking sprays.
❒ I’ll eat more vegetables and whole grain
foods.
❒ Other steps I’ll take to cut down on calories
and fat are
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Increasing Your Physical Activity
Place a check mark next to the ways you’ll try
to add physical activity to your daily routine.
❒ I’ll take the stairs instead of the elevator.
❒ I’ll park at the far end of the parking lot.
❒ I’ll find an activity I enjoy, such as working
in the yard or riding a bike.
❒ I’ll take a walk every day, working up to
30 minutes of brisk walking, 5 days a week.
Or I’ll split the 30 minutes into two or three
walks.
❒ I’ll try strength training by lifting light weights
several times a week.
❒ Other ways I’ll try to add physical activity to
my daily routine are
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Are there any medications
to treat pre-diabetes?
No drug has been approved by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration specifically for prediabetes.
However, several medications available
by prescription for diabetes or weight loss have
been used in studies. Though certain drugs do
seem to delay or prevent diabetes, they don’t
work nearly as well as eating less, being active,
and losing weight. At this time, experts
recommend eating less, increasing physical
activity, and losing weight as the best ways to
treat pre-diabetes, instead of taking medications.
American Diabetes Association
1–800–DIABETES (342–2383) www.diabetes.org
©2004 by the American Diabetes Association, Inc. 03/04