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Conditions

Prediabetes

Prediabetes means blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, a stage when lifestyle changes can lower future risk.

Clinician review pending Updated Conditions
DefinitionPrediabetes means blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, a stage when lifestyle changes can lower future risk.

What it means

The CDC says more than 2 in 5 American adults have prediabetes, and most do not know it because it usually causes no symptoms. CDC test ranges for prediabetes:

  • A1C of 5.7% to 6.4%
  • Fasting blood sugar of 100 to 125 mg/dL
  • 2-hour glucose tolerance test result of 140 to 199 mg/dL

Prediabetes raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The CDC notes that losing about 5% to 7% of body weight and getting at least 150 minutes of brisk activity a week can lower that risk. In its National Diabetes Prevention Program, a structured lifestyle program cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by 58%.

Some insurers count prediabetes as a weight-related condition and others do not, so check your plan's written criteria.

Why it matters

Catching prediabetes early gives weight loss, with or without a GLP-1, a chance to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Related tools

GLP-1 weight-loss projection

Expected loss by drug, dose and week, from trial data

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Related terms

A1CFasting glucoseInsulin resistanceType 2 diabetesWho qualifies for a GLP-1

Sources

  1. CDC: Prediabetes, your chance to prevent type 2 diabetes
  2. CDC: Diabetes testing

Clinician review pending. Drafted from primary sources and waiting for sign-off by a licensed clinician (MD, DO or PharmD) before launch. Every number is checked against its source. Drug facts are re-checked quarterly, prices monthly and whenever a label changes. How we review · Report an error