Unfortunately one of the characteristics of pre-diabetes is its lack of symptoms. Many people are completely unaware of the fact that they are living with the condition as they display little or no symptoms at all. If left undiagnosed and, consequently, untreated, pre-diabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes.
As mentioned, it is possible that no symptoms will be displayed and so if for some reason you are worried about this condition it is best to visit your doctor. Although not a symptom in itself, being overweight is a cause of pre-diabetes so if you have an on going weight problem it is, again, important that you visit your doctor. A doctor will do one of two tests (or possible both) to check for pre-diabetes, these are Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPGT) or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT).
There are many different factors that can affect the likelihood of a person developing pre-diabetes, including:
- Age: Over 45's are more at risk
- Family: It is believed that pre-diabetes is in part genetic
- Weight: Those who are obese are at higher risk
- Pregnancy: Giving birth to a large baby can increase the risk
Those who fall into one or more of the risk factor categories should ask their doctor for advice. Do not wait for symptoms to appear as this is more likely to be a sign of type 2 diabetes and, although this is treatable, there is currently no known cure. Early detection of pre-diabetes can enable prevention of type 2 diabetes.
