One in three American adults has prediabetes

29 million Americans (1 in 11) have diabetes; the vast majority (95%) have Type 2 Diabetes (caused primarily by obesity). Another 86 million Americans (1 in 3 adults) have prediabetes; even more alarmingly, 9 out 10 don't know that they have it.

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes is the intermediate stage between having normal blood glucose regulation and having type 2 diabetes. It is typically assessed by the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test  in which you fast for 8 hours and then have your blood glucose measured. The diagnosis depends on the following ranges of blood glucose concentrations (see Fig. 1):

• Normal = 70 to 99 mg/dl
• Prediabetes = 100 to 125 mg/dl
• Diabetes = 126 and higher mg/dl

The danger of prediabetes is that it is likely to transition into type 2 diabetes in 10 years or less unless lifestyle changes are made. Importantly prediabetes is reversible: By altering your diet to cut calories and by increasing your physical activity to burn more calories, you can prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes.

If you wait too long, then you will start to lose the pancreatic beta cells that make insulin which controls your blood sugar levels. The insulin resistance that accompanies type 2 diabetes forces your beta cells to produce extra amounts of insulin causing some to die. The loss of beta cells is what makes Type 2 diabetes irreversible just like Type 1 diabetes.

It is important that you are not one of the 9 out of 10 Americans who don't know that they have prediabetes. So don't wait -- ask your doctor to perform a lab test (e.g. FPG) measuring your blood glucose. If you have prediabetes, take action to change your diet and exercise habits to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Figure 1. Prediabetes is the intermediate stage between normal blood sugar regulation and diabetes. It is diagnosed by measuring the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels.