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Guidelines for Pre Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says that pre-diabetes is a condition in which a person's glucose is higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Almost all Type II diabetics are pre-diabetic prior to being diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Nearly 57 million people are pre-diabetic. It is important to understand what pre-diabetes is in order to prevent or slow down the development of Type II diabetes and its complications.

  1. Risks

    • The risks of developing pre-diabetes are the same as the risks for developing Type II diabetes. The ADA guidelines lists risk factors as age (greater than 45), race (African Americans have the highest risk), excess weight, family history of diabetes, low activity level, history of hypertension and a history of diabetes during pregnancy.

    Diagnosis

    • ADA guidelines for diagnosing pre-diabetes include a blood test called fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and/or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). An FPG requires a person fast for at least eight hours. A value between 100 and 126 is indicative of pre-diabetes. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) requires a person to ingest a 75 gram glucose solution. After two hours, a value between 140 and 200 also means pre-diabetes.

    Prevention

    • ADA guidelines recommend maintaining a healthy weight through a diet that includes lean meats, fish, whole grain foods, beans, non-fat dairy products and lots of non-starchy vegetables, including brightly colored veggies. The ADA also recommends daily exercise. Daily exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, reduces stress and it may reduce the amount of medication needed. Some oral medications may help lower glucose, but they do not work as well as diet and exercise.

    Myths

    • According to the ADA, diabetes is not contagious. Eating too much sugar does not cause diabetes. Diabetics do not have to eat special foods. (Diabetics can eat any food as long as it is a part of a healthy diet). Insulin does not cause weight gain. Diabetics are not more likely to get colds.

    Complications

    • People with pre-diabetes are at risk for developing Type II diabetes and diabetic complications such as kidney disease and heart disease. The ADA says that pre-diabetic people are at a 50 percent higher risk for heart disease and stroke and that long-term damage to the organs may occur during pre-diabetes.

    Warning

    • The ADA guidelines recommend knowing the symptoms of diabetes: extreme thirst, extreme hunger, increased urination, sudden and unexplained weight loss and blurry vision. Without treatment, diabetes can lead to coma and death.

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