On the TV channel I watch before I leave for work I often see a commercial about prediabetes. It's from the California Diabetes Foundation (prediabetes.org) and it lists risk factors that can be indicators for getting diabetes.
Looking back through the years I don't remember the coverage being as saturated when it comes to diabetes. Now it's everywhere, and I'm glad. I wonder if I'd have worked harder to not get diabetes if I knew what to look for and what to do.
But just how does the prediabetic thing play out?
It all starts with insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas that allows our body to use glucose from carbohydrates for energy.
What happens first is that the cells in our muscles, liver and fat will start not using insulin properly. Eventually the pancreas cannot make enough insulin and as a result the amount of sugar in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy.
Over the years high glucose will damage nerves and blood vessels leading to complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems and amputation.
Prediabetic, or impaired glucose tolerance, means that you are at risk for diabetes but there is time to get a grasp on your health and make changes before that bad stuff happens.
Prediabetes.org offers information about a federally funded study by the Diabetes Prevention Program. The study looked at 3,234 people at high risk for diabetes. It showed that a moderate diet and exercise can result in a 5 percent to 7 percent weight loss that helps delay and possibly prevent Type 2 diabetes.
Participants were overweight and had higher than normal levels of blood glucose. Both of those are strong risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. And, because of the high risk among minority groups, about half of the participants were either black, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander or Hispanic.
The study tested two approaches to preventing diabetes: a healthful eating and exercise program along with lifestyle changes, and the drug metformin.
People in the lifestyle modification group exercised about 30 minutes a day for five weeks, and lowered their intake of fat and calories. The second group took metformin and received standard information on exercise and diet, and a third group received only standard information on exercise and diet.
The results showed that people in the lifestyle modification group reduced their risk of getting Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent, and the average weight loss in the first year of the study was 15 pounds.
Modification was found to be more effective in those 60 and older. They reduced their risk by 71 percent. People using metformin reduced their risk by 31 percent.
The California Diabetes Foundation recommends that anyone 45 and older should get tested for diabetes. It strongly recommends testing for those who are overweight.
It's best to get tested by your doctor, but there are test kits available in some stores and online. They are not cheap and may not be accurate. Some online research might be in order if you want to try one at home, and I did find reviews of several different versions.
So what are some of the other risk factors of prediabetes? The Mayo Clinic lists a few:
• Weight. The more fatty tissue we have, the more resistant our cells become to insulin.
• Waist size. A large waist circumference can indicate insulin resistance.
• Inactivity. Physical activity helps control weight, uses glucose as energy and makes cells more sensitive to insulin.
• Family history. Your risk increases if a parent or sibling has Type 2 diabetes.
• Sleep. Problems such as apnea can lead to an increased risk of insulin resistance.
High blood pressure, low levels of "good" cholesterol and high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, are also risk factors.
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ActiveStyle on 10/10/2016