What Is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar (glucose) levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. In simple terms, it’s a middle ground between normal blood sugar and diabetes.
Prediabetes is diagnosed using a blood test called an A1C that is a measure of your average blood sugar levels over 3 months. An A1C level between 6.0% and 6.4% indicates prediabetes. These numbers mean that the body is starting to struggle to regulate sugar properly.
The underlying issue in most cases is insulin resistance. This means the body’s cells don’t respond well to insulin, the hormone that helps move glucose from the bloodstream into cells for energy. As a result, sugar builds up in the blood over time.
Why Prediabetes Matters
Knowing that you have prediabetes matters, as 6 million Canadians are living with this condition. 50% or 3 million people will go onto develop diabetes. Diabetes accounts for 30% of all strokes, 40% of all heart attack, 50% of all people requiring dialysis for kidney failure is the leading cause of blindness and non-traumatic amputations. Preventing diabetes is essential!
It is important to know if you have prediabetes, because research has shown that some long-term complications associated with diabetes, such as heart disease, may begin during prediabetes.
Understanding the factors that increase the likelihood of prediabetes can help individuals take preventive steps. Common risk factors include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Physical inactivity
- Age (risk increases over time)
- Family history of type 2 diabetes
- History of gestational diabetes
- Conditions like high blood pressure or high cholesterol
While some of these factors cannot be changed, many lifestyle-related risks can be addressed through healthy habits.
The Turning Point: Risk or Opportunity
While prediabetes can be concerning, it also presents a unique opportunity. Unlike many chronic conditions, it is often reversible with the right actions. Prediabetes can be considered a “fork in the road.” Without changes, the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes increases. The most powerful way to manage or reverse prediabetes is through lifestyle changes. Small improvements can have a meaningful impact on reversing prediabetes. In addition, research shows that lifestyle changes such as improved diet, increased physical activity, and modest weight loss can cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about half.
The Bottom Line
Prediabetes is a critical health signal, not a diagnosis to ignore. It represents a stage where the body is beginning to struggle with blood sugar control, increasing the risk of diabetes.
At the same time, it offers a powerful opportunity. By making timely lifestyle changes, many people can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and improve their overall health.
Prediabetes matters because it gives you a chance to change your future before more serious health problems take hold.