According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just over 30% of American adults have prediabetes and most of them don’t even know it. Although prediabetes increases your risk of developing diabetes, as well as your risk of other conditions such as heart disease, it’s reversible — you can reduce your risks.
Dr. Deborah Viglione and her skilled and compassionate staff at Living Waters Regenerative Medicine Center work to help all of our patients avoid illness and live healthy lives. Weight loss is one common denominator we’ve observed among people who manage to reverse prediabetes.
November is National Diabetes Month, which makes this a great time to focus on preventing diabetes health problems. Here’s how losing weight can help.
Prediabetes can be described as an early warning sign that you’re on track to develop Type 2 diabetes, a chronic health issue that’s a risk factor for numerous health issues and life-threatening conditions — including renal disease, cardiovascular disease, and blindness.
Doctors use two tests to diagnose prediabetes:
An elevated blood sugar level, usually measured by a test called a glycated hemoglobin test, or an A1C test, indicates prediabetes. A normal result is 5.7% or below, and prediabetes is anywhere from 5.7%-6.4%. A result of 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes.
Usually, a fasting blood sugar test — when you haven’t eaten anything for at least 8 hours — is administered if your A1C result is above normal. A result of less than 100 mg/dL is normal, 100-125 mg/dL is a prediabetes range, and 126 mg/dL or more results in a diabetes diagnosis.
Often, experts suggest lifestyle changes for people who have prediabetes such as adjusting your diet and getting regular exercise, improving your sleep, and drinking more water. All of these are great changes, and the overall result is very often weight loss.
Losing 5%-7% of your total body weight is enough to lower your risk of developing diabetes. For a person who weighs 200 pounds, that means losing 10-14 pounds can protect your health.
For some people, losing extra weight can be a real challenge, and when overweight and obesity threaten your health, it’s wise to seek professional guidance. When you work with Dr. Viglione and her team to lose weight, you get the support you need to make lasting change.
We don’t simply tell you to eat less and move more. Instead, we create a customized plan designed to fit into your life that includes nutritional guidance, help in developing an exercise plan that you enjoy and can stick with, as well as supplements and medications if you need them.
Most people think about how they look when they think about weight. We encourage you to consider how your weight may be affecting your health, too. Losing weight can help you reverse prediabetes and reduce your risk for numerous health problems.
If you’re prediabetic, or you’re struggling to lose weight, call and schedule an appointment for a medical weight loss consultation today.
