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Brief Description:

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.

Transcript:

Balintfy: Pre-diabetes is a condition in which a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says this affects a large portion of the population.

Rodgers: Fifty-four million Americans over age 20 have pre-diabetes, and now this is a condition that increases the risk for developing type-2 diabetes, as the name implies. But it also increases your risk quite substantially for heart disease, and stroke. And within this class of people who are at great risk of either having or developing pre-diabetes, certain ethnic groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, really have an increased risk for developing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Balintfy: Dr. Rodgers points out that there are other situations where a person may be at risk for diabetes.

Rodgers: For example, gestational diabetes occurs in some women during pregnancies and imparts a lifetime risk for them developing diabetes, mostly type-2 diabetes, in both the mother and the child. // Women who are at high risk for developing gestational diabetes or women who have actually developed gestational diabetes can reduce their risk of ultimately developing diabetes by taking small steps for themselves and their families.

Balintfy: Dr. Rodgers explains what some of these small steps are.

Rodgers: People at risk for pre-diabetes can lower their risk by losing a modest amount of weight, by being more physically active, and by making healthy food choices every day.

Balintfy: For more information on the Small Steps, Big Rewards Prevent Diabetes Campaign, visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org or call 1-888-693-6337. This is Joe Balintfy at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.