Prediabetes Q&A

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes means that your blood sugar level is higher than normal but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes is a warning that if your blood sugar continues to stay elevated, you’re at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic (ongoing) medical condition that occurs when sugar (glucose) builds up in your blood.

Does prediabetes always lead to diabetes?

No! You can take steps to prevent prediabetes from turning into diabetes (and even reverse your prediabetes).

What can I do to prevent diabetes?

Healthy lifestyle choices are the key.

Eat a balanced diet

• At each meal, aim to fill ½ your plate with nonstarchy vegetables (like leafy greens), ¼ with whole grains, and ¼ with lean protein. (Some people find the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes balanced plates of nutrient-rich foods, to be a helpful guide.)
• Limit refined carbohydrates (like white bread, white rice, and white pasta).
• Limit added sugars (like sugary drinks, sweets, and snacks).
• Try to get 25–30 grams of fiber a day through a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Move your body

• Aim for at least 2 hours 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. This can be broken down into 30 minutes, five days a week. Examples include brisk walking, cycling on level ground, ballroom dancing, and gardening.
• If you're short on time, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week can also be effective. Examples include jogging or running, swimming laps, cycling fast or on hills, and singles tennis.

Get enough sleep

• Studies show that not getting enough sleep increases cravings for sugary foods.
• Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep a night.

Avoid a lot of alcohol and all tobacco

• Drinking a lot of alcohol can cause your blood sugar to go up and down. If you choose to drink, limit it to one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men.
• Tobacco can damage your cells and make them less responsive to insulin (the hormone that lowers blood sugar).

Lose some weight

• Being overweight is a major contributor to prediabetes. Extra fatty tissue can make your body resistant to insulin and, in turn, raise your blood sugar.
• Connect with your care team for support implementing the lifestyle recommendations above and to discuss other strategies for losing weight.