What is Pre-Diabetes?
by Jennifer Bunn, RNPre-diabetes can be defined as the condition of having abnormally high blood glucose levels that are not high enough to warrant the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that 57 million people in the United States are pre-diabetic (NDIC, 2007). How can you tell if you are one of these people?
Some groups of people are at higher risk of developing diabetes. These groups include the elderly, African Americans, those of Asian descent, Native Americans and those of Latin descent. However, pre-diabetes and diabetes can occur in people of all ethnicities and ages. Other risk factors for pre-diabetes and diabetes include a sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, being overweight and a history of having had diabetes during pregnancy.
Two common tests that can help determine whether you have an abnormal metabolism are the Fasting Glucose Test and the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. Abnormal results on either of these tests signal that your body has an impaired ability to metabolize glucose.
A diagnosis of pre-diabetes does not necessarily mean that you are destined to become diabetic. Studies have shown that lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and weight loss, can prevent the development of diabetes. Knowing your risk factors for diabetes can help you to avoid developing the disease.
Source: National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/PUBS/statistics/#pre-diabetes
