Pre-diabetes is a new term for a condition that people get before they are diagnosed with diabetes. People who develop regular type 2 diabetes don't go from normal blood glucose numbers directly to type 2 diabetes. Almost all go through a phase called impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose. These terms are explained in CDC's 2003 National Diabetes Fact Sheet.

CDC does not presently recommend broad population-based screening for either unrecognized or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus OR "pre-diabetes." CDC continues to follow past guidelines for identifying those people who perhaps should be screened by their health care professional if they meet certain criteria. This is especially important for people who are overweight or have a family history of diabetes.

Related Web Sites

* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.

Fact sheet: Estimated number of adults with pre-diabetes
HHS, ADA Warn Americans of "Pre-Diabetes,"
Encourage People to Take Healthy Steps to Reduce Risks
American Diabetes Association questions and answers on pre-diabetes*

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Page last modified: December 20, 2005
Content Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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