8 of 10 People with Prediabetes Don't Know They Have It

Most people with prediabetes don’t know they have it. Learn whether you are at risk, the early signs of diabetes, and what to do if you have prediabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects more than 37 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Worldwide, one out of every 11 adults has diabetes.

There are multiple forms of diabetes, but type 2 diabetes, in which the body does not use insulin correctly, accounts for around 90 percent of new diagnoses. It is preventable, but the number of cases increases each year.

Diabetes does not develop overnight. There are often years of warning signs before a diabetes diagnosis. In fact, more than 96 million people in the United States alone are living with prediabetes. Yet according to the International Diabetes Federation’s Diabetes Atlas, most of them don’t know it.

More than eight of 10 people with prediabetes don’t know they have the condition or how it affects their risk for type 2 diabetes.

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What is prediabetes?

When your cells do not respond as they should to insulin, your pancreas produces more insulin to make your body respond correctly. As a result, your blood sugar levels begin to rise. Prediabetes occurs when you blood sugar is abnormally high — but not yet high enough to be considered diabetes.

Prediabetes makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. It also increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. If you know the risk factors for prediabetes, however, you can try to prevent further health problems from developing.

You are at a higher risk for prediabetes if you:

• Are overweight or obese
• Are over 45
• Do not exercise regularly
• Have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
• Are diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy
• Have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• Smoke regularly

Anyone can develop prediabetes, although men are more likely to. Around 36 percent of men versus 29 percent of women in the United States have prediabetes.

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