{"id":3075,"date":"2023-05-15T00:27:14","date_gmt":"2023-05-14T13:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/2023\/05\/15\/what-is-pre-diabetes\/"},"modified":"2025-06-03T14:51:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T03:51:42","slug":"what-is-pre-diabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/what-is-pre-diabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Pre-diabetes? Learn the Risks, Symptoms &#038; How to Manage it"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>What is pre-diabetes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Higher than normal; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.diabetesaustralia.com.au\/living-with-diabetes\/managing-your-diabetes\/blood-glucose-monitoring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes Australia<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, it means that you have a 10 to 20 times greater risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthdirect.gov.au\/pre-diabetes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HealthDirect<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Are there any symptoms for pre-diabetes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are no symptoms for pre-diabetes. If a doctor suspects that their patient has type 2 diabetes, they will order a blood test that can also detect pre-diabetes. At that point, the doctor and the person with pre-diabetes can work together to prevent pre-diabetes from developing into type 2 diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Are there signs that pre-diabetes has developed into type 2 diabetes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is strongly recommended that you see your doctor regularly if you have been told that you have pre-diabetes, and especially if you have one of the following new symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling thirsty;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urinating a lot;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling exhausted; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blurred vision.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>What are the risk factors for pre-diabetes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-diabetes shares the same risk factors as type 2 diabetes, which means that a person is at a higher risk of pre-diabetes if they:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a family history of type 2 diabetes;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have an unhealthy weight;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a larger waist measurement;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Caucasian men \u2013 greater than 94 cm<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Asian men \u2013 greater than 90 cm<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in women \u2013 greater than 80 cm<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Engage in a low level of physical activity;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smoke;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have high blood pressure and\/or high cholesterol (blood fats);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have polycystic ovary syndrome; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are taking some antipsychotic medications.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0(<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au\/health\/conditionsandtreatments\/diabetes-pre-diabetes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BetterHealth<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What happens if I ignore pre-diabetes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not taking the steps to manage pre-diabetes increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and\/or cardiovascular disease (CVD).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which cells within the body have a resistance to insulin and\/or the body isn\u2019t able to make enough insulin to meet the needs of the person to keep blood glucose levels within range.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CVD includes a number of conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels leading to complications, including;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coronary heart disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart attack<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart failure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stroke<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arrhythmias \u2013 abnormal heartbeats<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aneurysm \u2013 a bulge caused by a weakening of the heart muscle or artery<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Septal defect \u2013 an abnormal opening between the left and right sides of the heart;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peripheral vascular disease \u2013 a disease of the large blood vessels of the arms, legs, and feet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rheumatic heart disease \u2013 caused by rheumatic fever, and mainly affecting the heart valves and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Congenital heart disease \u2013 defects or malformations in the heart or blood vessels that occur before birth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How can I manage pre-diabetes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many ways to manage pre-diabetes. Outlined below are some of the ways to help to improve your health and reduce your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Physical Activity<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise is important for managing pre-diabetes. Try to aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day of the week. This could be organised into:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Shorter sessions: 10 minutes, 3 times per day<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Longer sessions: 30 minutes (or more)\/day, every day of the week<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise can be performed in many different ways, whatever you most enjoy; such as dancing, individual\/team sports, swimming, aerobics, personal training, gym sets, gardening, etc. The only requirement is that it is a physical activity that gets your heart pumping.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Quitting Smoking<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is very important for people with pre-diabetes to stop smoking. This is because you are at high risk of heart disease, and smoking further increases that risk. Stop smoking for 6 months and you are less likely to start again. Stop smoking for 2 years and you have a 96% chance of never smoking again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are considering quitting smoking, we recommend you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Call Quitline on 131 848 or visit the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quit.org.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quitline website<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Talk to your doctor or chemist about additional options<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Healthy Eating<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to manage pre-diabetes, it is important to have a healthy diet that includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A wide variety of foods that include a range of colours;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plenty of wholegrain cereals, vegetables, legumes and fruits;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low-fat milk, yoghurt, cheese and\/or dairy alternatives;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lean meat, fish, poultry and\/or meat alternatives;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regular meals throughout the day. Irregular meals can lead to overeating at a single meal, or snacking on inappropriate foods;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limited added sugar, honey, syrup and foods that are high in these ingredients e.g. soft drinks;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limited highly refined and fatty foods (e.g. chocolates, cakes, biscuits, fried foods or foods with pastry);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No added salt to cooking or at the table; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limited alcohol intake (if you choose to drink).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Portion Sizes<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatforhealth.gov.au\/guidelines\/australian-guide-healthy-eating\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australian Guide to Healthy Eating<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it is important that a daily meals consist of servings* of:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grain foods \u2013 mostly whole grain bread and high fibre cereals;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vegetables and legumes\/beans;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fruit;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced fat dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese and\/or alternatives); and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A reduced amount of \u201cextras\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Extra foods include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fried foods;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baked goods such as cakes and muffins;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sugar-heavy foods such as lollies or chocolate;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Savoury pastries;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pizza;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Potato chips, etc.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extra foods contain excessive amounts of energy from sugar, fat or salt. Try not to make them part of your everyday eating patterns and consume them in small amounts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* Serving amounts vary depending on your age and sex. You can find the recommended portion sizes for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatforhealth.gov.au\/food-essentials\/how-much-do-we-need-each-day\/recommended-number-serves-children-adolescents-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children, Adolescents and Toddlers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatforhealth.gov.au\/food-essentials\/how-much-do-we-need-each-day\/recommended-number-serves-adults\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adults<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Carbohydrates<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carbohydrates are your body\u2019s preferred source of energy. When you eat foods containing carbohydrates, they get broken down into glucose (sugar) which is then absorbed into your blood. The glucose moves from the blood to cells where it fuels the body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best sources of carbohydrates to consume include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wholegrain foods such as multigrain bread and rolls, wholemeal pasta and rolled oats;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fresh, tinned or dried fruit;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starchy vegetables such as corn, sweet potato, potato or taro;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legumes such as baked beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low-fat dairy products such as milk and no-added-sugar yoghurt.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>The Glycemic Index<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Glycemic Index (GI) is a rating of how quickly different carbohydrate foods are <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">broken down in your body. People with pre-diabetes are encouraged to choose low <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glycemic Index (low GI) foods. Low GI foods break down slowly into glucose, which <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">causes a smaller rise in your blood glucose levels. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In pre-diabetes, low GI foods help to keep blood glucose levels stable, allow you <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to feel fuller for longer, may help reduce blood fats, and assist with weight management <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and sports endurance.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><strong>Low GI foods include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rolled oats<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dense whole grain breads<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lentils and legumes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sweet potato<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yoghurt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pasta<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most types of fresh fruit<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doongara rice<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes Australia<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Fats<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to consider the types of fats we eat. Fats contain a lot of energy, and can contribute to unwanted weight gain over time. People with pre-diabetes already have higher than normal blood glucose levels, and gaining weight can make this more difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Try to:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit saturated and trans fats* as much as possible;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for cooking, but only in small amounts;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get enough omega-3 fats, aim to eat oily fish 2-3 times per week<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example; Salmon, Mackerel, Tuna, Rainbow Trout, Sardines, Barramundi, Silver Perch, and some frozen fish fillets.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Up to 6 eggs per week<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">* Foods with unhealthy saturated\/trans fats increase your risk of heart disease by significantly increasing your bad cholesterol.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Saturated fats are typically found in the following foods:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Butter\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coconut oil\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Palm oil (often called vegetable oil in products)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Processed foods, such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, and takeaway foods\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lard\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ghee\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Copha\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dripping\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fat on meat\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The skin on chicken and other poultry\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Processed or deli-style meats, such as salami, ham, and bacon\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cream\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ice cream<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Trans fats are found in several kinds of foods, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deep-fried foods\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biscuits, cakes and pastries\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Butter\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Takeaway foods, such as hamburgers, pizza and hot chips\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foods that list \u2018hydrogenated oils\u2019 or \u2018partially hydrogenated vegetable oils\u2019 on the ingredients list.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">** Good fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are better for cholesterol levels, because they <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lower the<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Foods that contain healthy monounsaturated fats include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avocados\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsalted nuts such as almonds, cashews and peanuts\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Olives\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cooking oils made from plants or seeds, including: olive, canola, peanut, sunflower, soybean, sesame and safflower<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Foods that contain healthy polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6) include:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fish\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tahini (sesame seed spread)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Linseed (flaxseed) and chia seeds\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soybean, sunflower, safflower, canola oil and margarine spreads made from these oils\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pine nuts, walnuts and brazil nuts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Stress Management<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High stress levels can raise your blood glucose levels and increase your risk of progressing to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">type 2 diabetes. Stress arises when a person has to respond to demanding situations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>In order to manage stress, it is recommended that you:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t ignore stress when it arises;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify what you can change about stressful situations;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn to moderate your physical responses to stress;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Engage in regular exercise and a healthy diet to decrease stress; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintain your emotional reserves (i.e. relationships, goals, etc.).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How can the <i><em>Life!<\/em><\/i> program help me manage pre-diabetes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> program is a free healthy lifestyle program that helps you improve your eating habits, increase your physical activity and manage stress. You can choose from a group course or the telephone health coaching service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step is to check your eligibility for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> program with our free online test. The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em> <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">program\u2019 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/#health-check\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">health check<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an easy-to-use questionnaire that assesses your risk factors for pre-diabetes (as well as other conditions including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease). This is a big first step towards improving your lifestyle so that you can manage pre-diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our experienced health professionals will help you make small changes to your lifestyle so that you can achieve your health goals and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is funded by the Victorian government and managed by Diabetes Victoria. You can check your eligibility for the program <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/learn-about-life\/#am-i-eligible\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button teal\" href=\"#health-check\">Take the health check<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is pre-diabetes? Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are: Higher than normal; and Not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. (Source: Diabetes Australia) If you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, it means that you have a 10 to 20 times greater risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes (Source: HealthDirect). Are there&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3076,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3075"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3075\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4733,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3075\/revisions\/4733"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}