Diabetes
Prediabetes can become diabetes over time.
More than one in three American adults has prediabetes, and nine out of 10 don’t know it. Prediabetes can be prevented by losing excess weight, staying active, and eating healthier.
Basics
What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes occurs when a person’s blood glucose (sugar) is higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be considered diabetes. Prediabetes may progress to Type 2 diabetes — a serious disease that can cause heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or loss of the feet or legs.
Risk Factors for Prediabetes
You can have prediabetes for years and have no symptoms, so it often goes undetected until serious health problems such as Type 2 diabetes show up. Talk to your health care provider about having your blood sugar tested if you have any of the following risk factors for prediabetes:
- Older age — especially over age 45
- Being overweight or obese
- Having a parent, brother, or sister with Type 2 diabetes
- Having an African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander racial or ethnic background
- Having a history of diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes)
- Having given birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome
- Being physically active less than three times a week
Symptoms
Prediabetes symptoms
Be aware of changes in your health. If you notice any of the following symptoms, talk to your health care provider. Prediabetes can be reversed if it’s diagnosed early.
- Blurred vision — Spikes and dips in blood-sugar levels (common in prediabetes) can impair the eyes’ ability to bend or focus, resulting in blurred vision.
- Excessive thirst — This occurs as your body tries to flush out the higher sugar levels through more frequent urination, which can cause dehydration, making you thirsty.
- Long healing times — High blood sugar slows circulation, so wounds or skin infections can take longer to heal.
- Extreme fatigue — Prediabetes reduces your body’s ability to convert the glucose in your blood into energy, leaving you severely fatigued.
- Sudden changes in weight — If the body can’t properly burn blood glucose for fuel, it seeks other fuel sources, such as body fat or muscle. Insulin resistance can make you feel hungry, leading to weight gain.
Prevention
Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented in people with prediabetes.
By losing excess weight, eating healthier, exercising or being more active, or taking medication prescribed by your health care provider, you can delay or prevent prediabetes from becoming diabetes. Being active is one of the best choices, because it can also lower your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol level. If possible, try to walk for a half-hour, five days a week.
Could you have prediabetes?
This simple quiz helps you learn if you should talk with your health care provider about having a blood test to measure your blood-glucose level.
Take the testNational Program
What is the National Diabetes Prevention Program?
The National Diabetes Prevention Program is an evidence-based program developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is a yearlong lifestyle and behavior change program that, depending on where classes are held, meets weekly for four months, biweekly for two months, or monthly for six months. The key goals of the program are to:
Learn moreAccumulate 150 minutes of activity per week
Lose 5% to 7% of body weight
Resources
Get help to get healthier from national and local programs.
National and local programs can help reduce your chances of having prediabetes lead to diabetes.
National Diabetes Prevention Program at the YMCA
The YMCA program is based on the Diabetes Prevention Program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s a 12-month program with 16 weekly meetings. Learn more
University of Delaware T2 Lifestyle Change Program
Trained lifestyle coaches at UD teach the skills needed to make lasting changes and cut the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. For more information, call 302-831-1165. Learn more
Christiana Care Diabetes Program
PreventT2 is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PreventT2 is taught by Christiana Care registered dietitians and community educators who’ve been trained as lifestyle coaches. Learn more
Make a move to prevent Type 2 diabetes
Black men are statistically at risk. Learn simple changes to help lower your risk. Learn more
In-person and online programs
Beebe Health Care (Lewes)
In-person and distance learning
302-654-3337Focus Pharmacy (Smyrna)
In-person or by Zoom
302-471-3046Accessible Pharmacy
Distance learning designed for persons with visual or hearing impairments (offered in ASL)
Helpful links
Healthy Lifestyle — Small Changes. Big Impact.
Better choices lead to better chances of avoiding chronic diseases. Lifestyle behaviors can affect health. Making little, healthier choices can go a long way.
Healthy Living
Live better. Our Healthy Lifestyle Map will show you where you can find fresh local produce at farmers’ markets and how to stay active at local fitness centers and parks.