There are two types of diabetes: Type-1 and Type-2. Type-1 diabetes is seen mostly in children. Type – 2 usually develops in adults after the age of forty. The prevalence of diabetes among Indians is very high, 8.8 %( International Diabetes Federation, 2019). More than half the people with diabetes are undiagnosed. The complications of diabetes includes: heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and sexual dysfunction.
Prediabetes
The diagnosis of diabetes is made when the fasting blood sugar is more than 126mg/dl or the Hemoglobin A1c is more than 6.5%. A person is diagnosed to have prediabetes when his/her fasting blood sugar is between 100-125mg/dl or Hemoglobin A1c is 5.7 to 6.4%. A diagnosis prediabetes does not guarantee that you will develop diabetes but it is an indicator that you are at a much higher risk. One of the scary things about prediabetes is that it often has no symptoms.
Who is at risk of prediabetes?
. People with family history of diabetes (parents, brothers, sisters with diabetes)
. Being over 45 years of age
.Being over weight
.Being Asian
.Having history of gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy)
.Having high blood pressure (over 140/.90)
How can I prevent prediabetes?
Even if there is a history of diabetes in your family, you can help lower your risk by making healthy lifestyle choices. A prediabetes diagnosis should serve you as a wakeup call for you to make life style choices. This starts with diet and exercise. According to Center of Disease Control (CDC) USA, losing 5-7 % of your body weight and exercising for 30 minutes five days a week can lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes by 58 % and 71% if you are over age 60. Eat a healthy diet consisting of whole grain, beans, fruits and vegetables,fish, poultry, low sugar and low fat (especially trans-fat). Do not smoke and do not drink too much alcohol. It is also important that if you are over 40 and have family history of diabetes see your doctor and get a fasting blood sugar done. If it shows that it is in the prediabetes range, take it seriously and make life style changes as mentioned earlier.
Dr Saheb Sahu, F.A.AP, MPH.