Prediabetes: It’s not time to panic
At a glance
- One in three adults fall within prediabetic range
- Prediabetes can be tricky to spot due to minimal symptoms
- A balanced, healthy life is key to prevention and stopping progression
Your doctor orders a blood panel, and to your surprise it reveals — at the age of 30 — that you’re prediabetic. You think, “But I’m too young!”
This isn’t time to panic, says Michael Bota, MD, a medical director with MultiCare population health.
“We’re not diagnosing you with a medical condition that’s incurable,” he says. “We’re just saying there’s a red flag, and now’s the time to make changes.”
What does it mean to be prediabetic?
Your doctor or other health care provider will diagnose prediabetes if your average blood sugar level falls between 5.7 and 6.4 percent. More than one in three adults fall within this range in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The tricky thing about prediabetes: There are usually no symptoms, and it can go undiagnosed for years, explains Dr. Bota.
“It’s a very gradual progression from ‘normal’ glucose control to having diabetes,” he says. “Once someone has Type 2 diabetes, they’ve likely had five to 10 years of changes going on slowly, undetected.”
The easiest way to catch prediabetes early and stop the progression is with annual wellness checks — which most insurance providers fully cover, Dr. Bota notes.
While prediabetes screening isn’t included by default in most wellness checks, your doctor will review potential indicators or risk factors that could warrant adding the test.
Are you at risk?
There are lifestyle choices and/or hereditary factors to consider when understanding your risk of diabetes at any age.
If diabetes is common in your family, especially in parents or aunts/uncles, you may be at greater risk.
Some racial and ethnic groups, including Black, Asian, Asian American, American Indian, Hispanic and Pacific Islander, are also at higher risk of developing diabetes.
Other things that could put you at risk:
- Metabolic conditions, including weight gain
- Family history of gestational diabetes
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Poor eating habits, including processed and fried foods or those high in sugar
- Lack of physical activity
- Smoking
Regardless of your risk, the key to prevention is living a balanced and healthy life. People tend to focus on the numbers, but Dr. Bota encourages his patients to instead take a whole-body approach to their well-being.
Support and small changes
Quick-fix diets or a “couch to 5K” exercise program — followed by a return to regular eating habits or activity levels — are unlikely to produce long-lasting results, Dr. Bota says.
It’s about retraining your mind and making a commitment to changes. Focus on what you can stick with and enjoy, and what you can do with others, he adds. Research shows that when friends, partners or families make changes together, everyone is more successful.
U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program Study
(3,234 adults with prediabetes)
- Lifestyle changes, including low-fat meal plan and increased physical activity, reduced progression to Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent compared to placebo group
- Anti-diabetic medication metformin reduced progression to Type 2 diabetes by 31 percent compared to placebo group
Start by defining your personal goals — whether that’s being able to run around with your kids, have good vision, retire healthy or travel with ease — because those are better motivators than numbers on a chart, Dr. Bota says.
Next, make one or two small changes at a time until they become habits, and then build on them. Talk to your provider and do your research to find the best fit for you. Look into meal plans like the Mediterranean diet — which doesn’t focus on restricting foods but rather adding healthy ones — or make time for a daily walk.
“We used to tell people you have to do a certain amount of cardio each week,” Dr. Bota says. “But we just want you to become more active with activities that you enjoy and can do consistently.”
And don’t forget, these changes don’t need to be a total overhaul of your life to stop the progression of prediabetes. Take your time to find what’s right for you and your health.
