Prediabetes happens when your blood sugar levels are consistently higher than normal. It's a serious condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes and damage your health, especially your heart. It's also your last opportunity to prevent type 2 diabetes. That's because prediabetes is much easier to reverse than type 2 diabetes. It only takes a few lifestyle changes to reduce your risk and lower your blood sugar levels.
Prediabetes is more common than most people think. Its effects are serious, but the symptoms can go undetected for years. Unfortunately, that means most of the 88 million people living with prediabetes don't know they have it. If they knew, they'd want to change it. So don't wait to find out if you're at risk. Take the one-minute risk test now.
Who is at Risk?
More than 4 out of 5 of people who have prediabetes don't know they have it, which means you or someone you know may already be at risk for dangerous health consequences like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Prediabetes doesn't always show signs or symptoms, which is why it's important to know the risks.
Know the Risks
If you have one or more of these characteristics, you may be at higher risk than others for developing prediabetes, and eventually, type 2 diabetes:
- Being overweight
- Being 45 or older
- Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
- Physically active less than three times per week
- Ever having gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome
- Having high blood pressure
- Being a man
- Belonging to certain racial or ethnic groups, including African American, Latinx American, American Indian, Pacific Islander, and some Asian American communities.
Worried you may be at risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes? Don't wait. Take the one-minute risk test. It's an easy first step to stopping higher than normal blood sugar from damaging your health.
They Found Out and Changed It
Hear from people just like you, who learned about their risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes and decided to take action. Head to Take Control of Your Health to find out why joining a lifestyle change program worked for them, or visit Your Health with Joan Lunden to see more prediabetes success stories.
You Can Reverse Prediabetes
The first step to preventing or reversing prediabetes? Getting the facts. Learn about the dangerous myths that make prediabetes seem more harmless than it is, find out what you can do to reduce your risk, and more.
Are You at Risk?
The sooner you know if you're at risk for prediabetes, the sooner you can start making a few small changes that can fix the high blood sugar that may be damaging your health—before you develop type 2 diabetes.
