Does Having Prediabetes Mean that You Will Get Diabetes?
Finding out that you have prediabetes can be scary, but if you work closely with your physicians on making some important lifestyle changes, you can take control of your health. For many patients, a diagnosis of prediabetes is a wakeup call and the first step on the road to a new, healthier way of living that helps them feel their best. If your physician tells you that you have prediabetes, here is what you need to know.
What is prediabetes?
There are multiple forms of diabetes, but the two most common forms are type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the pancreas, causing it to stop making insulin. This form of the disease is not preventable and not associated with prediabetes.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is not able to use the insulin that the pancreas produces effectively to control blood glucose levels. This is called insulin resistance and is caused by many factors, including excess body weight. Prediabetes is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Doctors diagnose people with prediabetes when their blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. The blood glucose range for prediabetes depends on the kind of test your physician uses.
Will I get type 2 diabetes if I have prediabetes?
As the video explains, prediabetes does not mean that diabetes is unavoidable. Instead, your physician will recommend lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce your blood glucose levels so that they do not continue to increase.
Many people with prediabetes never develop diabetes. Some even lower their blood glucose levels back to a normal range, so that they no longer have prediabetes.
What kind of lifestyle changes can help to prevent type 2 diabetes?
If you have prediabetes, your doctor may recommend that you make the following lifestyle changes to prevent type 2 diabetes:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day
- Losing weight/Maintaining a healthy weight
Your physician may also recommend a medication called metformin if your blood glucose levels are very close to being in the diabetic range.
At MountainView Hospital, our physicians can help you commit to a healthier lifestyle and make the changes necessary to prevent type 2 diabetes, with treatment options that include bariatric surgery in Las Vegas. Get a referral to one of our physicians by calling (702) 962-5021.