{"id":3119,"date":"2023-06-01T01:31:37","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T14:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/2023\/06\/01\/prediabetessymptomsandwarningsigns\/"},"modified":"2025-06-03T13:41:03","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T02:41:03","slug":"prediabetessymptomsandwarningsigns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/prediabetessymptomsandwarningsigns\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the warning signs of pre-diabetes: discover the top warning signs of pre-diabetes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/what-is-pre-diabetes\/\">Pre-diabetes is a condition<\/a> where a person\u2019s blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to know if you have pre-diabetes, because if you do you\u2019re at a 10 to 20 times higher risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes. But it\u2019s also important to know that, with the right changes to your lifestyle, diabetes can be delayed or even prevented.\u00a0 That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to recognise the warning signs of pre-diabetes.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is pre-diabetes? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glucose is the body\u2019s main source of energy. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we eat or drink, glucose enters our bloodstream, causing the pancreas to release t<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">he hormone insulin, which controls the amount of glucose in the blood. This is vital as most of the cells in our body can only function when our glucose levels stay within a certain range.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the insulin isn\u2019t working properly and a person has a condition called insulin resistance, the amount of glucose in the blood can rise to the level that is described as pre-diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Pre-diabetes\u2014risk factors and symptoms<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be diagnosed with pre-diabetes, your blood glucose levels must be:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Higher than normal (more than 7.8 mmol\/L) 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 (less than 11.1 mmol\/L).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s likely that some people have a genetic disposition to pre-diabetes (this means you are more likely to get pre-diabetes because of your family history), but its exact cause is unknown. There are, however, <strong>risk factors<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Risk factors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The risk factors for pre-diabetes are very similar to those for type 2 diabetes. They can be split into two groups, modifiable (meaning that they can be changed) and non-modifiable (meaning that they can\u2019t be changed).<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><strong>Modifiable (changeable) risk factors include:<\/strong><\/h6>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being overweight\u2014this is a major risk factor for pre-diabetes. The more fat you carry, especially around your waist, the more your cells become resistant to insulin. This risk factor increases after the age of 55.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having an unhealthy diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being physically inactive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having high triglycerides (blood fats) and low HDL-C (\u2018good\u2019 cholesterol) and\/or high LDL-C (\u2018bad\u2019 cholesterol).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having high blood pressure, especially if you are over 45.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having poor sleep patterns.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smoking<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h6><strong>Non-modifiable (unchangeable) risk factors include:<\/strong><\/h6>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Age\u2014although pre-diabetes can develop at any age, the risk of prediabetes increases after age 55.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethnicity\u2014although it\u2019s unclear why, people with a family background of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Pacific Islander, South-East Asian, Asian (the sub-continent), Arabic, or north African are more likely to develop pre-diabetes. This risk increases in people who are over 35.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a parent or sibling with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women who have had diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or given birth to a big baby (more than 4.5kgs).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Symptoms <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-diabetes often has no signs or symptoms (apart from, possibly, darkened skin on the neck, armpits and groin).<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, hyperglycaemia, which causes pre-diabetes, does have symptoms. These include<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">frequently needing to urinate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increased thirst and frequent urination<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">weight loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blurry vision<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">infections.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have any of the above, it\u2019s a good idea to see your doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Pre-diabetes: diagnosis and treatment<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><b> <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is recommended that adults check their diabetes risk every three years from the age of 40 years using the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/#health-check\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australian type 2 diabetes risk assessment tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Annual screening from 18 years of age is recommended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/pre-diabetes-signs-symptoms\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As there are no reliable signs or symptoms of pre-diabetes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it is usually diagnosed when a person\u2019s doctor is concerned that they have the symptoms of high blood glucose levels listed above and sends them for a blood test.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The test to confirm pre-diabetes and diabetes is a fasting glucose test (FGT)\/blood glucose test. This is where a blood sample is taken to show the level of glucose in your blood after fasting (not eating or drinking anything other than water) for 8-10 hours. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the results suggest pre-diabetes, your doctor will ask you to have an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The level of glucose in your blood is checked after fasting for 8-10 hours. You then have a glucose drink and another blood sample is taken after 1 or 2 hours. This test shows how your body responds to glucose.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your doctor may then ask you to take an HbA1c test. This is useful for diagnosing pre-diabetes and diabetes as it checks your average blood glucose level over the past three or four months.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If pre-diabetes is confirmed, it means you have one or both of the following conditions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>impaired glucose tolerance<\/strong> \u2014 your blood glucose level is above normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>impaired fasting glucose<\/strong> \u2014 your fasting blood glucose level is above normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A diagnosis of pre-diabetes does not mean that you\u2019ll automatically develop type 2 diabetes. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/what-to-do-pre-diabetes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making healthy changes to your lifestyle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as eating well, doing regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight can prevent type 2 diabetes.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As pre-diabetes also increases the risk of heart disease, it is important to manage your blood pressure and cholesterol. It is also important to quit smoking if you smoke.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without making lifestyle changes, a person with pre-diabetes is at high risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Type 2 diabetes<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body resists the normal effects of insulin and gradually becomes unable to produce enough of it.\u00a0It is the most common type of diabetes, and almost 1.3 million Australians are currently living with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by making healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy foods and being active.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increased thirst and frequent urination<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blurry vision<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tiredness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">feeling hungry<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">having cuts that heal slowly.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to diagnose and treat type 2 diabetes in order to prevent serious long-term complications such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">heart disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">kidney disease<\/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;\">eye problems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">peripheral nerve damage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>So how can the\u00a0<i><em>Life!<\/em><\/i>\u00a0program help you make healthy lifestyle choices?\u00a0 <\/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 will give you all the support, resources and knowledge you need.\u00a0<\/span> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0is 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 our telephone health coaching service.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our experienced health professionals will help you make changes to your lifestyle so that you can successfully manage pre-diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 2007, over 75,000 Victorians have learnt more about living a healthy life with the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> program. It is the largest prevention program of its kind in Australia.<\/span> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Life!<\/em><\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0is funded by the Victorian government and managed by Diabetes Victoria.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can take a quick online health test and check your eligibility for the program\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/#health-check\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button teal\" href=\"#health-check\">Take the health check<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pre-diabetes is a condition where a person\u2019s blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to know if you have pre-diabetes, because if you do you\u2019re at a 10 to 20 times higher risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes. But it\u2019s also important to know&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3120,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3119","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\/3119","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=3119"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4726,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3119\/revisions\/4726"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}