Prediabetes Snapshot

Could You Have Prediabetes?

Quick Facts

Diabetes

34.2 million people have diabetes

That’s about 1 in every 10 people

1 in 5 don’t know they have diabetes

Prediabetes

88 million adults – more than 1 in 3 – have prediabetes

More than 8 in 10 adults don’t know they have prediabetes

If you have prediabetes, losing weight by eating healthy and being more active can cut your risk of getting type 2 diabetes in half.

What Is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

When it comes to prediabetes, there are no clear symptoms—so you may have it and not know it. Here’s why that’s important: before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have prediabetes. You may have some of the symptoms of diabetes or even some of the complications. You can have prediabetes for years but have no clear symptoms, so it often goes undetected until serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes show up.

Signs & Symptoms

You can have prediabetes for years but have no clear symptoms, so it often goes undetected until serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes show up. It’s important to talk to your doctor about getting your blood sugar tested if you have any of the risk factors for prediabetes, which include:

Being overweight
Being 45 years or older
Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
Being physically active less than 3 times a week
Ever havinggestational diabetes(diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
Having polycystic ovary syndrome

Race and ethnicity are also a factor: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at higher risk.