Prediabetes, commonly known in Turkey as "hidden sugar" (gizli seker), is reported in about 30.4% of the population. If nothing is done, there is a risk that it will progress to type 2 diabetes. For this reason, prediabetes, which can arise for various reasons, should be followed up with your doctor.
What Is Prediabetes?
The medical name for "hidden sugar" is prediabetes. It is reported that 1 in 3 people in Turkey has prediabetes. Prediabetes is a state in which blood sugar is higher than it should be but not high enough to be classed as diabetes. In short, fasting and post-meal blood tests do not fall within the normal range, but neither are they high enough for a diabetes diagnosis.
When prediabetes is assessed, both fasting and post-meal tests are looked at. Often, however, fasting sugar levels are normal while post-meal levels fluctuate. For this reason the reference test for prediabetes is often the post-meal blood sugar or an insulin test.
Insulin is one of the hormones that regulate blood sugar, so excess insulin secretion is one of the criteria doctors look at.
Why Is It Important?
Prediabetes is a stage on the way towards diabetes, so it can carry the risks that diabetes brings. Among people diagnosed with diabetes, organ damage is reported in about 20%, and people also see doctors with problems such as vision changes, risk of heart attack and kidney failure. It is therefore important to take prediabetes seriously and follow it up. If steps are not taken at an early stage, it can progress to diabetes.
What Are the Signs of Prediabetes?
Although prediabetes is diagnosed with fasting and post-meal blood tests, there are signs that prompt people to be tested. Because people with prediabetes are potential diabetes candidates, the signs are similar to those of diabetes. These signs are not specific, so only a doctor can say what they mean.
Possible signs include:
- Drinking more water than usual
- Weight gain, obesity
- Tiredness, fatigue
- Darkening or colour changes of the skin
- Feeling hungry often and needing to eat a lot
- Blurred vision
- High blood pressure
- Sudden irritability or anger
- Sleep problems
- Raised cholesterol
- Difficulty concentrating
- Thirst and a dry mouth
What Are the Risk Factors for Prediabetes?
The leading risk factor is family history, i.e. genetics. Hypertension, diabetes during pregnancy, poor nutrition, an inactive lifestyle and excess weight also each independently add to the risk. It is very important for people with these factors to have their blood sugar checked regularly.
Can Prediabetes Be Prevented?
Prediabetes is regarded as the point where diabetes begins. Diabetes starts where insulin secretion in the pancreas becomes impaired. One of the most important contributing factors is excess body fat, and the related changes in the body. Weight management, healthy eating and exercise can therefore help support healthier blood sugar.
In the long term, it is possible to slow the progression towards diabetes. Studies report that when people change their lifestyle, manage their weight and exercise, progression was reduced by about 58%, and medication, in the same studies, reduced it by about 27%. Individual results vary, and any medication is a decision for your doctor.
How Is Prediabetes Managed?
In the management of prediabetes, the most important point is lifestyle change. In particular, unhealthy eating habits, in which processed foods and foods rich in sugar and white flour are eaten heavily, should be changed for a healthier eating pattern. The eating pattern most often discussed for prediabetes is the Mediterranean-style diet.
In addition to nutrition, activity such as 50 minutes of walking and 10 minutes of stretching a day is among the physical activities commonly suggested. If you are carrying excess weight, weight management can help lower the chance of prediabetes progressing to diabetes.
Your doctor will guide you on follow-up and any medical treatment. It is best to act at the prediabetes stage, before diabetes develops.
This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.
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