Most people know that routine physician visits are an important component of preventive health care for people of all ages. However, the National Institute on Aging reports that millions of individuals ages 45 and older learn they have a condition known as prediabetes after their annual visit. Often, it is the first time they heard of the condition, but prediabetes is something we should all know about.

What is prediabetes?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that prediabetes is a serious health condition characterized by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels. Individuals diagnosed with prediabetes have blood sugar levels, but not high enough to indicate type 2 diabetes. If prediabetes patients do not make changes, they might soon progress to type 2 diabetes.

How common is prediabetes?

A 2023 study published in the journal Diabetes Care indicates that 464 million individuals across the globe had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and 298 million had impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in 2021. These conditions are hallmarks of prediabetes, and these numbers are expected to rise significantly by 2045.

What causes prediabetes?

The CDC notes that when a person has prediabetes, their body’s cells do not respond normally to insulin, which is a hormone produced by the pancreas that enables blood sugar to enter cells, which then use it for energy. The pancreas then makes more insulin to get cells to respond, but eventually the pancreas cannot keep up, resulting in a rise in blood sugar.

Does prediabetes produce symptoms?

The CDC reports that more than 80 percent of the 98 million American adults who have prediabetes are unaware that they have it due to lack of symptoms.

How can I determine if I have prediabetes?

Recognition of the risk factors for prediabetes is a good start. The CDC urges anyone with the following risk factors to speak with their doctor about having their blood sugar tested.

  • Being overweight
  • Age 45 or older
  • Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
  • Physically active less than 3 times per week
  • History of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or giving birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds
  • Having polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Being African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Pacific Islander. Some Asian Americans also are at greater risk for prediabetes.

Prediabetes can be a precursor to type 2 diabetes, which highlights the importance of all adults aged 45 or older recognizing their risk for the condition.