What Is Borderline Diabetes?
According to government statistics from 2010, nearly 19 million people live with diabetes. This represents an increase of more than 1,200 percent since 1958, “an increase of epidemic proportions.”
Although there were no hard numbers, the report estimated some 79 million Americans over the age of 20 have prediabetes, also known as borderline diabetes.
What Is Borderline Diabetes?
Borderline diabetes may be a more familiar term, but most people refer to it as prediabetes today. It can be found in people who either have impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). In both cases, the level of sugar in the bloodstream is dangerously close to the diabetic range.
If blood is drawn after fasting for six hours and the glucose level is between 100 and 125 mg/dl this is indicative of IFG. If the results of a glucose challenge test, where the patient consumes a sugary drink and then has his or her blood sugar tested, are in the high 130s up to 200 (depending on the physician), that could indicate IGT.
What Does this Mean?
Prediabetes essentially means that, without changes to lifestyle, there is a very good chance of developing type 2 diabetes in less than a decade. Borderline diabetes also raises the risks in patients for heart attacks or stroke. However, insulin therapy is not necessary for prediabetes treatment.
What Can Treat Prediabetes?
There are some medications that doctors can prescribe to help treat prediabetes, but the most effective treatment is lifestyle change. For those most at risk doctors can prescribe metformin, a drug which lowers blood sugar and has been known to aid in weight loss. However, these are only typically prescribed in the most severe cases, usually when the patient has complications from other diseases such as fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, or cardiovascular disease.
Essentially, modest weight loss combined with regular exercise is the best weapon one has to prevent prediabetes from evolving into type 2 diabetes. This means losing about five to seven percent of body weight and doing 150 minutes of exercise each week. It is also recommended that one works with a health professional in order to determine what parts of one’s diet that most need changing.
With a commitment to this kind of prevention, it is very possible that prediabetes will never transition to type 2 diabetes. It takes work and perseverance, but the benefits are worth it.
Sources: CDC, National Institute of Health, Mayo Clinic
Photo credit: Francisco Orsorio via Flickr Creative Commons
More Articles
With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.
Farro...
Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....
With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...
If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...
In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.
When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...
More Articles
If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....
For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.
A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...
According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...
Eleven Clinical Studies
After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...
Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...
Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...
Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...
Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...
Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....
When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...
Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.
The...
Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...
Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...
Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...
One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...