Diabetes Basics
Pre-Diabetes
Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "pre-diabetes"—blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. There are 57 million people in the United States who have pre-diabetes. Recent research has shown that some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during pre-diabetes.
How to Tell if You Have Pre-Diabetes
There are two different tests your doctor can use to determine whether you have pre-diabetes: the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
How to Prevent Pre-Diabetes
The good news is that the Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent type 2 diabetes by eating healthy, being physically active, and managing their weight.
