“From Prediabetes to Wellness: Your Journey to Stop Diabetes”

To reduce the risk of developing Prediabetes and prevent its progression to Type 2 Diabetes, implementing healthy lifestyle changes is crucial. Here are some measures you can take:

Manage Your Weight: Excessive weight gain is a significant risk factor for diabetes. Losing just 5% of your body weight can significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Adopt a Balanced Diet: A healthy and balanced diet plays a pivotal role in reducing the risk of diabetes. Consider the following dietary choices:

Choose foods with a low glycemic index to help control blood sugar levels.

Include high-fiber foods in your diet, such as whole grains, vegetables, and legumes.

Limit your intake of carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates like sugary snacks, white bread, and sugary cereals. These can have detrimental effects on blood sugar.

Stay Active: Regular physical activity is essential in preventing diabetes. Try to incorporate the following into your routine:

Engage in regular exercise, such as walking, jogging, or cycling.

Take leisurely walks in the park to increase your physical activity.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

By following these healthy lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce the risk of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.

Diabetes risk factors

Age:

Your risk increases with age. You’re more at risk if you’re white and over 40 or over 25 if you’re African-Caribbean, Black African, Chinese, or South Asian.

Family History:

You’re two to six times more likely to get type 2 diabetes if you have a parent, brother, sister, or child with diabetes.

Ethnicity:

Type 2 diabetes is two to four times more likely in people of South Asian descent and African-Caribbean or Black African descent.

People from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi) backgrounds are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes from a younger age.

High Blood Pressure

You’re more at risk if you’ve ever had high blood pressure.

Weight and Diabetes

You’re more at risk of type 2 diabetes if you’re living with obesity or overweight.

Gender and Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is slightly more common in men than in women.

Diagnosing Prediabetes

You’ll need to get your blood sugar tested to find out for sure if you have prediabetes or type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes. Testing is simple, and results are usually available quickly.

A1C Test

The A1C test measures your average blood sugar level over the past 2 or 3 months. An A1C below 5.7% is normal, between 5.7 and 6.4% indicates you have prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicates you have diabetes.

Fasting Blood Sugar Test

This measures your blood sugar after an overnight fast (not eating). A fasting blood sugar level of 99 mg/dL or lower is normal, 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates you have prediabetes, and 126 mg/dL or higher indicates you have diabetes.

Random Blood Sugar Test

This measures your blood sugar at the time you’re tested. You can take this test at any time and don’t need to fast (not eat) first. A blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL or higher indicates you have diabetes.