Diabetes
Diabetes Awareness
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled as the American population has aged and become more overweight and obese.
Prediabetes is a serious health condition where your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 Diabetic. CDC estimates indicate more than 1 in 3 US adults have pre-diabetes and more than 84% of those do not know they have prediabetes. That’s millions of people who are on the verge of progressing to Type 2 diabetes within the next 5 years. The good news is that pre-diabetes can be managed and you can even prevent it from progressing to Type 2 Diabetes.
Watch this short video for some tips on how you can help yourself to prevent developing Type 2 Diabetes.
What are the risk factors of prediabetes?
- Overweight
- 45 yrs or older
- Have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
- Physically active less than 3 times a week
- Ever had gestational diabetes or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
- African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native (some Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are also at higher risk)
What are the symptoms of Diabetes?
- Frequent urination, often at night
- Are very thirsty
- Lose weight without trying
- Are very hungry
- Have blurry vision
- Have numb or tingling hands or feet
- Feel very tired
- Have very dry skin
- Have sores that heal slowly
- Have more infections than usual
How is diabetes diagnosed?
Your primary care provider can perform a variety of tests to evaluate and confirm a diagnosis. These include but are not limited to:
| Result* | A1C | Fasting Blood Sugar | Glucose Tolerance Test | Random Blood Sugar Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| measures your blood sugar over the last 2 or 3 months | measures your blood sugar after an overnight fast (not eating) | measures your blood sugar before and after you drink a liquid that contains glucose | measures your blood sugar at the time you are tested | |
| Diabetes | 6.5% or higher | 126 mg/dL or higher | 200 mg/dL or higher | 200 mg/dL or higher |
| Prediabetes | 5.7 - 6.4% | 100 - 125 mg/dL | 140 - 199 mg/dL | N/A |
| Normal | Below 5.7% | 99 mg/dL or lower | 140 mg/dL or lower | N/A |
What do you need to know?
Tell us what you need to know to help prevent diabetes and/or manage your diabetes.
- Published: November 3, 2021
- Page reviewed/updated: January 31, 2024
