Study: People with Prediabetes Seldom Attempt to Alter Risk Factors
by Jennifer Bunn, RNIt is a well-known fact that people with the condition known as prediabetes can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition in which fasting blood sugar levels and glucose tolerance test levels are elevated but are still within “normal” range, by modifying risk factors such as weight, diet and exercise.
A new study from researchers at the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) found that almost 30% of Americans over the age of 20 had prediabetes, but only a small percentage of these individuals (7.3%) were aware that they had the condition and less than half of these had had their blood tests repeated in the previous three years.
Those with prediabetes were more likely to:
- be male
- older in age
- have a first-generation family member with type 2 diabetes
- be overweight
- have high blood pressure and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease
The take-home message of the research is that there needs to be an increased awareness of what prediabetes is and greater measures to prevent diabetes from developing, including greater promotion and support of healthy lifestyle choices.
PreCrea is a twice-a-day botanical formula designed to help reduce blood sugar levels and promote weight loss.
Source: Diabetes Risk Reduction Behaviors Among U.S. Adults With Prediabetes, Geiss et al, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, April 2010