Pre Diabetes :: Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Pre-diabetes (also known as "impaired glucose tolerance" or "impaired fasting glucose") is described as having a blood glucose levels that is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It has also been referred to as chemical or borderline diabetes.

In a cross-section of U.S., 41 million people aged 40 to 74 have pre-diabetes. Research has shown that it is important to diagnose pre-diabetes, as treatment of the condition may prevent type 2 diabetes as well as the complications associated with type 2 diabetes, such as heart and blood vessel disease, and eye and kidney disease. Some of the long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during pre-diabetes.

Pre-diabetes increase the risk of a person developing type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes). Studies indicated that most people with pre-diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years, unless they lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight—which is about 10 to 15 pounds for someone who weighs 200 pounds—through modest changes in their diet and level of physical activity.

Risk Factors
People at risk for diabetes are also at risk for pre-diabetes. Just like diabetes, pre-diabetes occur in people of all ages and races, some groups have a higher risk for developing the disease than others. Those at risk include:

Family history of diabetes
Obese or Overweight
Sedentary or Inactive lifestyle.
Carrying fat around the waist and stomach.
Women who had gestational diabetes or have had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
Aged population - Older people are less able to process glucose appropriately .
Ethnic Heritage - more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders
People with high cholesterol, high triglycerides, low good 'HDL' cholesterol and a high bad 'LDL' cholesterol.

Diagnosis
There are two different type of tests a doctor can perform to determine the occurrence of pre-diabetes: the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The blood glucose levels measured after these tests determine whether you have a normal metabolism, or whether you have pre-diabetes or diabetes. Both of the test require a person to fast overnight.

During the FPG test, a person's blood glucose level is measured first thing in the morning before eating after an 8 hour fast. This test can determine whether our body metabolizes glucose correctly. Normal fasting blood glucose is below 100 mg/dl. In pre-diabetes, blood glucose level is between 100 and 125 mg/dl. If the blood glucose level rises to 126 mg/dl or above, a person has diabetes.

In the OGTT, a person's blood glucose is measured after fasting and again 2 hours after drinking a glucose-rich drink. Normal blood glucose is below 140 mg/dl 2 hours after the drink. In pre-diabetes, the 2-hour blood glucose is 140 to 199 mg/dl. If the 2-hour blood glucose rises to 200 mg/dl or above, a person has diabetes.

Treatment
The Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range.

Although some medications may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better.

Proper Diet - A proper diet helps in maintaining a desirable weight. A 5% to 10% change in weight can make a huge difference.
Moderate Exercise - Try to exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Opts for an activity that you enjoy such as walking.

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