Medical contributions and review by Jessica Khoury, MD.
When your health care provider makes a medical diagnosis, your next steps are usually about how to treat the condition.
Diabetes is familiar to most of us, but it’s possible you’ve never encountered prediabetes. The condition is exactly what it sounds like: the “pre” part means you’re approaching a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Having prediabetes means that your blood sugar, also called glucose, is higher than normal. However, it is not yet at the level that indicates Type 2 diabetes.
Your doctor diagnoses prediabetes when:
- Your fasting blood sugar is between 100 and 125 mg/dL (tested after not eating overnight)
- Your blood sugar is between 140 and 199 mg/dL two hours after drinking a glucose solution (oral glucose tolerance test)
- Your hemoglobin A1c (a measure of average blood sugar over 2-3 months) is between 5.7% and 6.4%
You can have higher-than-normal blood sugar when your body has a problem using or producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas to help your body turn sugar from what you eat and drink into energy. When the body doesn’t have enough insulin, your blood sugar levels rise.
If you’re diagnosed with prediabetes, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will develop Type 2 diabetes—but it does mean you’re much more likely to do so. Prediabetes also increases your risk for other serious health conditions, such as heart disease and stroke.
Consider a prediabetes diagnosis a caution flag. Seize the opportunity to make changes to the way you are living.
What to Do After a Prediabetes Diagnosis
You might be on the road to developing Type 2 diabetes in the future, but remember that you are in the driver’s seat.
Talk with your medical provider about your overall health, including your blood sugar levels and other conditions that may place you at a higher risk of developing diabetes. Your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases if you:
- Are Black, Latinx, Native American, Alaska Native, Asian or of Pacific Islander descent
- Are age 45 or older
- Are overweight or obese
- Are physically inactive
- Had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
- Have a parent or sibling with Type 2 diabetes
- Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
You may also be at risk if you have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Understanding your overall risk can help you get a clearer picture of your health and the importance of making lifestyle changes. Your medical provider may recommend working with a team of diabetes specialists, who can help you take steps to improve your health and avoid diabetes.
Even if you’re working on your own, you can make lifestyle changes that will lower your blood sugar to a healthy range and improve your overall health.
Steps for Remission of Prediabetes
Remission of prediabetes is vitally important for your long-term health since diabetes can damage your entire body, affecting everything from your nerves to your heart.
Making healthy lifestyle changes is the most effective way to lower your blood sugar to normal levels and reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Your blood glucose levels may begin to improve within weeks, though your A1C test (which measures average blood sugar over 2-3 months) will take about three months to reflect these changes. The key to success is maintaining these healthy habits long-term—people who stick with lifestyle changes continue to have a lower risk of diabetes for many years.
Here’s how to get started:
Eat a healthy diet.
While you want to limit your overall sugar intake, you want to take a more holistic view of everything you consume. Fill your plate with vegetables and fruits, lean sources of protein such as chicken and fish, whole grains, and low- or nonfat dairy products. Whenever possible, choose whole foods and home-prepared meals over processed or takeout options, which often contain unhealthy additives, such as sodium. Carefully review nutrition labels, looking out for added sugar, sodium and saturated fat.
Popular eating styles that work well include Mediterranean, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), and plant-based diets. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian to create a plan that fits your preferences and lifestyle.
Drink lots of water.
Staying hydrated supports overall health and helps keep blood sugar within a normal range. When you don’t have enough water in your body, your blood sugar levels may increase. Choose water and other unsweetened drinks, such as tea, instead of juices, sodas and other sugary beverages. Sugary drinks have been linked with an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Bored with plain water? Add herbs or cucumber slices for extra flavor without calories.
Move your body.
For optimal health, aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or dancing. Any exercise you get is better than none, but the more you move your body, the better off you’ll be. People who get around 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity per week have a lower risk of developing diabetes than those who get less exercise.
Aim for a healthy weight.
Adopting a regular exercise routine and improving your diet may help you lose weight. Even a small amount of weight loss can make a big difference when it comes to prediabetes remission. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, losing as little as 5 to 7% of your total body weight can help. For someone who weighs 175 pounds, for example, that would mean losing around 9 pounds.
Don’t smoke.
What does smoking have to do with diabetes? A lot, actually. People who smoke are up to 40% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who don’t smoke. That’s because the chemicals from cigarettes cause inflammation in your body, which may damage your ability to use insulin properly. If you smoke, talk with your medical provider about a smoking cessation strategy that will work best for your needs.
Get enough quality sleep.
Most adults need between seven and nine hours of quality sleep each night for optimal health. For people with prediabetes, getting a good night’s sleep takes on even greater importance. Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing while sleeping. The condition is linked to insulin resistance, in which the body doesn’t respond well to insulin and can’t process glucose. If you routinely have difficulties sleeping or find yourself sleepy often even after a full night of rest, talk with your medical provider about whether a sleep study may be a good step for you.
More to Read
- Diabetes and Hypertension
- What’s the Best Kind of Exercise for Type 2 Diabetes?
- Staying Hydrated When You Have Diabetes
- Which Diet Plan Is Right for You? Here’s How to Narrow Your Options
- Pancreatic Cancer and New-Onset Diabetes
- Diabetes Management as You Get Older
- The Connection Between Diabetes and Mental Health