It is possible to delay pre-diabetes and diabetes and, in some instances, prevent it from developing at all. Pre-diabetes is the stage where there are higher-than-normal levels of sugar in the blood stream, but not enough to be classified as diabetes. It is important to know that pre-diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes, especially if left untreated. Luckily, a recent study has shown that moderate exercise and a change to healthier ways of eating can help prevent pre-diabetes and possibly diabetes itself.

The same risk factors for diabetes also hold true for pre-diabetes; that is, your race, your age, and your weight, to a lesser extent. Because persons of African, Native American, Latino, and Asian descent tend to have the predisposition towards diabetes, their race will also make them prone to developing pre-diabetes. Age plays a role, as the older you are, the more likely you are to develop pre-diabetes, especially if you fall into any of the previously mentioned racial groups.

Doctors can tell if you are pre-diabetic by performing two standard tests, namely the fasting test (FPG - Fasting Plasma Glucose) and the glucose tolerance test (OGTT - Oral Glucose Tolerance Test). The results of these tests will confirm whether you have pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or if you are diabetes-free.

The FPG test is normally done in the morning, and the patient is advised not to eat anything after 10 PM the previous night. A higher-than-normal reading for the FPG is an indication that you have been insulin resistant for a while.

OGTT, the glucose tolerance test, is used to measure your blood glucose level after an overnight fast, but unlike the FPG, you are also given a glucose drink two hours after the test. Your blood glucose levels are then checked two hours later; if the range is between 140 and 199 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), you will be considered pre-diabetic. These levels are also an indication that you may develop type 2 diabetes later on. 

If you are tested positively as having pre-diabetes, it is important to take annual tests so that you catch developed diabetes in its early stages. Early diagnosis is the easiest way to get the disease under control before too much damage has been done to vital organs.

Exercise and a change of diet, as well as moderate weight loss, have been proven to delay or prevent the onset of pre-diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Controlling your health is dependent on the changes you make in your daily habits. While avoiding serious illness is one reason to having a physical lifestyle, overall good health and long-lasting mobility are two other incentives to getting in shape.

To learn more go to Diabetes And Depression and at Juvenile Diabetes Foundation

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