Prediabetes - symptoms, diagnosis, diet and management

Everything you should know about the prediabetes stage.

Prediabetes is a group of conditions which are considered precursors to diabetes. IGT or Impaired Glucose Tolerance, impaired fasting glycemia, gestational diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovarian disease and obesity form an intermediate stage in the natural history of diabetes mellitus. Pre-diabetes is a warning sign, which can further lead to not only diabetes, but also heart disease and stroke. But the good news is that it can be prevented. According to Dr. Anil Bhoraskar, Consultant and Specialist in Diabetes at Fortis SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai there are many symptoms of pre-diabetes that we can control. Let us understand this condition in detail.

Major symptoms of pre-diabetes

There is no way to detect this condition. Unfortunately, these conditions are detected in routine blood tests when the patient is asymptomatic. It is a silent condition that is only recognised in blood tests.

Major diagnosis of pre-diabetes

According to the definition of chemical diagnosis of diabetes, to diagnose diabetes chemically, fasting blood glucose should be more than 126mg%, post meal should be more than 200mg%as formerly thought. But now, any person who has fasting blood glucose more than 100mg%is advised to check his post meal blood glucose, if it is more than 140mg %but less than 200mg%, the person is considered to have IGT and treated almost like a confirmed case of diabetes. Pre-diabetics have the same chances of developing vascular disease like a diabetic or in future can develop full blown diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and disappears after the pregnancy. The criteria of normal blood sugar in a pregnant woman is more stringent, fasting blood glucose less than 90mg% and post meal glucose needs to be less than 120mg%. If there is any deviation from these values, a pregnant woman is also considered to have GDM (gestational diabetes mellitus) which is also a forerunner of diabetes in the later years if the patients don't watch their diet and weight. PCOD is very common now and is also considered a disorder of insulin resistance and needs prompt treatment to prevent further complications. Here are 8 facts about diabetes you didn t know.

Treating pre-diabetes with self-management of lifestyle measures

Treatment of these conditions requires recognition of their seriousness and intensive lifestyle intervention. This includes a lifestyle that focuses on a balanced diet, exercise and sometimes medication depending on the severity. It is important to pay attention to abdominal obesity waist circumference should be less than 85cm in women and 90 cm in men. Here's what prediabetes means and how it affects our body

Major constituents of diabetic diet

1. Diet is the cornerstone. Low fat lacto-vegetarian diet with reduction of omega-6 fats and increase in omega-3fats and restricted calories can be helpful in controlling abdominal obesity.
2. At least 40min of high resistance exercise at least 5 times a week.
3. A well-balanced diet is necessary and junk food must be avoided.
4. Less than 2 hrs of TV viewing a day.
5. Minimum 6 hrs of sleep a day.
6. Yoga and meditation.

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