Pre-Diabetes
Diabetes Prevention
Most times the development of type 2 diabetes is preceded by a medical condition known as pre-diabetes, which acts as the body's warning signal that diabetes will develop if action is not taken to prevent it. Pre-diabetes is present when blood glucose levels in the body are higher than normal but not yet to a level that is considered diabetes. Without treatment or lifestyle changes, pre-diabetes will often develop into diabetes. Although the body has not yet developed complete diabetes, the body is already beginning to sustain some long-term damage, especially to the heart and circulatory system. Pre-diabetes is serious, but unlike diabetes, it can be reversed. If steps are taken to manage blood glucose when a person has pre-diabetes, the development of type 2 diabetes can often be delayed or prevented.
Testing for Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes
Many doctors recommend testing their patients for diabetes or pre-diabetes if they are overweight and over age 40. There are two different tests used to screen for pre-diabetes: the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). With the FPG test, a person is required to fast overnight and then not eat until the blood glucose level is checked in the morning. With the OGT test, a person is also required to fast overnight. The blood glucose level is then measured two times, once in the morning before any food is eaten and a second time two hours after drinking a glucose-rich drink. Both tests measure the blood glucose levels to determine if the levels are normal or if they indicate the presence of either pre-diabetes or diabetes.
What is Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Impaired Fasting Glucose?
Previous to being termed pre-diabetes, the condition of elevated blood glucose levels was called either Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) or Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) depending on which of the two tests was given to make a diagnosis. The condition was called Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) following the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG). It was called Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) if the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was taken.
Pre-diabetes, Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT), Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) are all the same condition. Pre-diabetes is the term currently used, not because the condition has changed, but because the medical community now has a better understanding of what is means to have elevated blood glucose levels. The term pre-diabetes more accurately describes the seriousness of the condition and better identifies it as a precursor to developing diabetes.
Treatment for Pre-Diabetes
Pre-diabetes is serious, but the good news is that it can usually be successfully treated with lifestyle changes in the areas of diet & nutrition, exercise & physical activity, and weight loss. Many diabetics and pre-diabetics develop the condition because of excess weight, making weight loss a very important part of prevention and treatment. Even small changes can have a big impact, you don't have to reach your ideal weight to obtain health benefits. The amount of weight loss desired is approximately five to ten percent of the total body weight, or weight loss of about 10 to 15 pounds, depending on your actual weight. Increased physical activity and a change in diet is necessary to achieve weight loss.
Exercise and physical activity is important because it burns calories which helps you lose weight. The amount of recommended physical activity is 30 minutes a day at least five days a week. The type of exercise can vary and it doesn't matter as much what the activity is as long as it gets you moving. For some people, they enjoy walking. For others, it might be taking an aerobics class or swimming. Exercise should be started slowly and the intensity gradually increased until you reach the target amount. Before starting any exercise program, you should first talk to your doctor to determine your overall health and fitness level.
Preventing Diabetes
If you are concerned about your health and developing diabetes because you are overweight, you should make an appointment with your doctor to talk about your concerns. A doctor can make the proper diet and exercise recommendations for you based on your weight and overall health and can test your blood glucose levels if appropriate. Because type 2 diabetes is a disease that usually develops in a person over time due to being overweight and a lack of physical activity, it is good to know that it is not too late to make the changes that can improve your health and delay or prevent diabetes and other serious health conditions.