Ask the Experts Blog

Diabetes, once a relatively rare disease, is on the rise worldwide, with an alarming number of new cases occurring in children and adolescents. The American Diabetes Association estimates that some 29.1 million Americans - adults as well as children - now have diabetes.

Those with prediabetes are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, a condition where you have trouble processing a hormone called insulin. If unmanaged, diabetes can eventually lead to serious complications including heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and blindness. 

Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include:

Hear from endocrinologist, Amena Iqbal, MD, as she discusses techniques to lower your risks of developing prediabetes and diabetes. 

If you think you may be at risk for prediabetes or diabetes, learn more at Lakeland Diabetes. 

Prediabetes 
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the level of glucose in the blood reaches a certain high level. With prediabetes, it hasn’t reached this point yet. But it's higher than normal. It is vital to make lifestyle changes to lower your blood sugar, improve your health, and prevent diabetes.

Who's at risk for prediabetes?
Certain risk factors make a person more likely to have prediabetes. These include:

• A family history of type 2 diabetes

• Being overweight

• Being older than age 45

• Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol 

• Having had gestational diabetes

• Not being physically active

• Being African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Alaska Native, Native American, or Pacific Islander

Treating prediabetes

The best way to treat prediabetes is to lose at least 5% to 7% of your current weight and be more physically active by getting at least 150 minutes a week of physical activity (at least 30 minutes daily.) When sitting for long periods of time, get up for short sessions of light activity every 30 minutes.

These changes help the body’s cells use blood sugar better. Even a small amount of weight loss can help. Work with your health care provider or a nutrition team to make a plan to eat well and be more active.

Lakeland Diabetes and Nutrition offers a dedicated team of registered dietitians (RD), registered nurses (RN), and certified diabetes educators (CDE) who specialize in the care of patients with diabetes and helping patients meet their health care goals.

Other changes in your lifestyle (or even taking certain medicines, such as metformin) may make you less likely to develop diabetes. Stopping smoking will decrease your risk of developing diabetes. Don't use e-cigarettes or vaping products.

Talk with your health care provider today to see if you should be tested for prediabetes.