Prediabetes vs. Diabetes

Prediabetes is a sign that you could develop Type 2 diabetes if you don’t make lifestyle changes. The difference between prediabetes and diabetes is that when you have prediabetes your blood sugar levels are higher than normal (100 to 125 mg/dl) but are not high enough to be called diabetes. If you don’t control your blood sugar and it goes higher, you can develop Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney problems and eye problems. 

You can have prediabetes but not know it. A blood test that checks your blood sugar level will help you find out. 

The good news is you can make some changes in your life to prevent prediabetes from turning into diabetes. This can include:

• Losing weight.
• Exercising about 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
• Eating fewer foods with saturated fat.
• Quitting smoking.
• Treating high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 

If you have prediabetes, you should get checked for Type 2 diabetes every one to two years. Taking care of prediabetes will make sure you don’t get serious health problems later on.