Member: My mom was recently diagnosed with prediabetes. What exactly does this mean and what can she do about it? —Allison, Sauk Centre
Doctor: Prediabetes can be intimidating, but fortunately, there are many steps that we can take to prevent prediabetes from turning into diabetes.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, as many as 37 percent of adult Minnesotans may have prediabetes, but only 7.4 percent of adult Minnesotans know they have it. Getting tested is important—it’s good that your mom took that step and can now work toward better health.
Prediabetes means that your blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. While the exact cause of prediabetes is unknown, genetics play a role, as well as excessive abdominal fat and inactivity. Some risk factors are being overweight, a high-sugar, high-fat diet, sleep apnea, and age. After age 45, the risk of prediabetes increases.
An easy way to determine if you have prediabetes is with an A1C blood test, which looks at your average levels of blood sugar over the last several months. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says that a score between 5.7 and 6.4 is considered prediabetes. Higher than 6.4 means you have diabetes. Below 5.7 is considered normal. Be sure to check out our feature story, “Tackling Diabetes,” for more information on the disease.