Quantcast
Skip to Main Content

Diabetes Basics

Donate Today!

Enroll in Living With Type 2 Diabetes New to Type 2?

Enroll in the Living With Type 2 Diabetes program and let us guide you through your first year with type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes FAQs

   

Q: What is prediabetes? 
A: Prediabetes is when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. People with prediabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and may have some problems from diabetes already.

Q: If I have prediabetes, will I definitely develop type 2 diabetes? 
A: No. Research shows that you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by 58% by:

Don't worry if you can't get to your ideal body weight. Losing just 10 to 15 pounds can make a huge difference. For some people with prediabetes, early treatment can actually return blood glucose levels to the normal range.

Q: How do I know if I have prediabetes? 
A: Doctors can use a fasting plasma glucose test (FPG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), or an A1C test to detect prediabetes:

FPG

  • Requires a person to fast overnight. The blood glucose is measured first thing in the morning before eating.
  • Normal FPG is below 100 mg/dl. A person with prediabetes has a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl. If the blood glucose level rises to 126 mg/dl or above, a person has diabetes.

OGTT

  • Also requires a person to fast overnight. The person's blood glucose is checked after fasting and again 2 hours after drinking a glucose-rich drink.
  • Normal blood glucose is below 140 mg/dl 2 hours after the drink. In prediabetes, the 2-hour blood glucose is 140 to 199 mg/dl. If the 2-hour blood glucose rises to 200 mg/dl or above, a person has diabetes.

A1C

  • A blood test that gives the average amount of glucose in the blood over the past 3-4 months.
  • An A1C 5.6% or below is normal. In prediabetes, A1C levels range between 5.7%-6.4%. If the A1C is 6.5% or above, a person has diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Risk Test can you determine if you are at increased risk for diabetes or prediabetes. A high score may indicate that you have prediabetes or at risk for prediabetes.

Q: Who should get tested for prediabetes? 
A:People in these groups should be tested:

  • If you are overweight and age 45 or older, you should be checked for prediabetes during your next routine medical office visit.
  • If your weight is normal and you're over age 45, you should ask your doctor during a routine office visit if testing is appropriate.
  • For adults younger than 45 and overweight, your doctor may recommend testing if you have any other risk factors for diabetes or prediabetes, including:

Q: How often should I be tested? 
A: If your blood glucose levels are in the normal range, get checked every three years, or more often if your doctor recommends it. If you have prediabetes, you should be checked for type 2 diabetes every one or two years after you are told you have prediabetes.

Q: What is the treatment for prediabetes? 
A: Treatment consists of losing a modest amount of weight (7% of total body weight) through healthy eating and moderate exercise, such as walking, 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Don't worry if you can't get to your ideal body weight. Losing just 10 to 15 pounds can make a big difference.

If you have prediabetes, you are at a 50% increased risk for heart disease or stroke, so your doctor may wish to treat or counsel you about cardiovascular risk factors, such as tobacco use, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

Q: Will my insurance cover testing and treatment? 
A: All insurance plans are different. However, Medicare and most insurance plans cover diabetes testing for people suspected of having diabetes. People at risk for diabetes are also at risk for prediabetes. Since the test is the same and the risk factors are the same for both conditions, a prediabetes test may be covered. Talk to your doctor and health insurance company to be sure.

Q: Is prediabetes the same as Impaired Glucose Tolerance or Impaired Fasting Glucose? 
A: Yes. Doctors sometimes refer to high blood glucose levels as Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) or Imapired Fasting Glucose (IFG), depending on what test was used to detect it.

Q: How many people with prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes? 
A: One major study, the Diabetes Prevention Program, showed about 11% of people with prediabetes developed type 2 diabetes each year during the average three years of follow-up. Other studies show that many people with prediabetes develop type 2 diabetes in 10 years.

Q: Could I have prediabetes and not know it? 
A: Absolutely. People with prediabetes don't often have symptoms. In fact, millions of people have diabetes and don't know it because symptoms develop so gradually, people often don't recognize them. Some people have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of diabetes include:

  • unusual thirst
  • frequent urination
  • blurred vision
  • extreme fatigue
  • frequent infections
  • cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
  • tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
  • recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections

     

    Stay in touch with ADA

    Sign up for the the latest news on diabetes research, food and fitness, and opportunities to support the American Diabetes Association.

    What's this?
       Please leave this field empty

    Get Fit

    Workout Video 72x72

    Watch this video to jumpstart your exercise program.

    Weight Loss

    Weight Loss

    Tips on getting started on your weight loss goals.

    Powered by Convio
    nonprofit software