What is prediabetes and how can it be managed?

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition in which glucoseor blood sugar levels rise above the normal average for a human being, without exceeding those limits in which it can be considered type 2 diabetes.

You should know: People with prediabetesdo not have any symptoms, so it becomes a silent disease.

In this context, it is recommended that people over 45 years of age perform at least once a year the glucose measurement test, to detect abnormal changes in these values.

Likewise, you should have a medical check-up if you suffer from other risk factors such as obesity, perform little physical activity, have suffered fromgestational diabetesor suffer frompolycystic ovarysyndrome among others, to detect possible alterations in glucose levels.

When are you considered to have prediabetes?

To consider a person prediabetic, internationally accepted values are used as normalfor this condition, which is below 140 mg / dl (7.8 mmol / l).

To highlight: People to be considered prediabetic, their sugar levels must be between 140 and 199 mg / dl (7.8 to 11 mmol / l), and already above those values would be entering the stage of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

What are the causes of prediabetes?

Here are some of the main causes of the appearance of prediabetes in some people:

1. Overweight and sedentary life

Science has documented with sufficient studies, that being overweight and sedentary lifestyle are risk factors that generate prediabetes, because the fat in the body acts as an inhibitor of the action of insulin, reducing its action on glucose. (1)

Note: Being overweight and sedentary are linked to resistance to insulintohormone that regulates blood sugar levels. (two)

2. Improper diet

Inadequate feeding can generate the appearance of prediabetes. (3)

You should know: This happens when We eat more more calories than we need daily to carry out our activities and even more so when these foods are high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates , generating overweight and obesity.

3. Smoking

Likewise, clinical studies have concluded that nicotine has a strong influence on the appearance of prediabetes , since it has been described that it modifies the sensitivity of insulin receptors, causing an increase in glucose levelsin the blood . tag.(4)

4. Genetics and family history

It has been concluded that diabetes is not hereditary, but it does constitute a strong predisposing factor for people with a family history of diabetes.

This is due to the fact that prediabetes or type 2 diabetes are multifactorial diseases , where other risk elements such as a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and the type of diet may intervene. (5)

To highlight: Scientific studies have described that the type of ethnicity also constitutes a predisposing factor towards prediabetes and diabetes. (6)

How is prediabetes controlled?

Fortunately, there are several strategiesthat can help you (always with the guidance of a specialist doctor) to control this disease in its initial stage. Here we mention some of them:

1. Medicines prescribed by a specialist

To correct the excess level of glucose in the blood through pharmacological therapy, primary care Resorts to Insulin Injection as an immediate control measure, if the lack of control of sugar is generating other health complications in the patient.

Note: The use of insulin injections must be prescribed and supervised by a specialist doctor.

2. Adequate nutrition and physical activity

One of the first strategies in the prevention of diabetes is to make changes in lifestyle, mainly in regard to nutrition.

To highlight: It is advisable to incorporate A physical exercise program into your daily routine , which will favor the reduction of fat and cholesterol in the body, generating a decrease in blood sugar levels. (8)

3. Avoid being overweight and smoking

To prevent type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, it is imperative to make other changes toward a healthy lifestyle .

You should know: We have already mentioned that being overweight is a risk factor for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, a condition that deteriorates the quality of life of patients, so following the above recommendations would be a step towards full health.

Key Findings

• Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels rise above the normal average.
• Prediabetes does not present any type of symptom and , if uncontrolled, causes type 2 diabetes mellitus.
• Prediabetes is a multifactorial disease, where risk factors such as obesity, smoking and poor diet concur.
• Prediabetes can be controlled with drug therapy and healthy lifestyle habits.