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Testing for Prediabetes
Testing for PrediabetesPrediabetes means the level of glucose, a form of sugar, in your blood is higher than normal and you need to makechanges to take control.But you can’t take control of something you don’t know you have, and often with Prediabetes, you will feel fine andhave no symptoms.In order to tell if you have Prediabetes, talk to your healthcare provider about your risk factors. Some risk factors youcan’t do anything about. One is your age. Anyone 45 years old or older should think about getting tested forprediabetes.Your family history is another risk factor. If you have a parent or sibling with diabetes, you are at a greater risk.Ethnicity also plays an important role in your risk of prediabetes, so if your family background is: Alaska Native,American Indian, African American, Hispanic, Asian American, or Pacific Islander, you are at an increased risk.And if you have a history of gestational diabetes or have had a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds at birth, youmay have a higher risk of developing prediabetes.But there are also risk factors that you take action to change.Being overweight is one of the key risk factors for prediabetes and insulin resistance, especially if you carry extraweight around your abdomen, or stomach, area.If you are overweight, physically inactive, and eat an unhealthy diet high in sugar and fat, you are at an increased riskof prediabetes.Take steps to reach and maintain a healthy body weight by making healthy food choices and being physically activeevery day.And remember to get enough sleep. If you work changing shifts or night shifts, or often don’t get enough sleep, youmay be at an increased risk for prediabetes. Talk to your healthcare provider about how much sleep you should begetting and ways to improve the sleep you do get.If you feel you have any of the risk factors for prediabetes, talk to your healthcare provider about getting tested. Theonly way to tell you have prediabetes is to get your blood glucose levels checked by your healthcare team.One test to check your glucose level is called a fasting plasma glucose test. This test measures your glucose levelafter you have gone at least 8 hours without eating or drinking. In this test, if your levels are between 100 and 125milligrams per deciliter, you have prediabetes. These levels are above normal, but not high enough to be diabetes.Page 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCDB1010796 EN TestingForPrediabetes.pdf© The Wellness NetworkTesting for PrediabetesYour healthcare provider may also use an oral glucose tolerance test to measure how well your body handles alarge amount of glucose in your blood. In this test, your glucose levels are checked two hours after you drink asweet liquid. If your glucose levels are between 140-199 milligrams per deciliter, they are above normal and youhave prediabetes.Another blood test, called A1C, measures the average amount of glucose in your blood over the past 2 to 3months. If you have an A1C result of between 5.7 and 6.4% you have prediabetes. An A1C result of 6.5% orhigher means you have Type 2 diabetes.If, after having one of these tests, you find that you have prediabetes, your healthcare team will give you one orboth of these tests every year, in order to closely watch your glucose levels.In addition to monitoring your glucose levels, work with your healthcare team to take control of the risk factorsyou can change.Make healthy lifestyle changes to improve your insulin resistance in order to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetesand the long-term health problems it can cause.Page 2 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCDB1010796 EN TestingForPrediabetes.pdf© The Wellness Network
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Learn how setting small goals toward making healthier food choices and becoming physically fit can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.