There are a couple of challenges with pre-diabetes. There are no symptoms! So it is important to know your risk factors:

• Not active
• Overweight, with a BMI of more than 25
• Over 45 years of age
• Father, mother, or a sibling with Type 2 diabetes
• Women who delivered a baby greater than 9 pounds
• Certain ethnicities: African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Latin America, Asian American, or Pacific Islander

If you have 2 or more of these risk factors, it may be a good idea to discuss this with your primary care provider at your next checkup.

In the meantime, there are things you can do to prevent pre-diabetes and diabetes. Regular physical activity and weight loss can help improve the way your body uses insulin. That can help treat pre-diabetes and may reduce your diabetes risk. You may even be able to get your glucose level back into the normal range. The following tips can help:

• Talk with your health care provider about starting an exercise routine.
• Build up to moderate-intensity exercise for an average of 40 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week.
• If you’re overweight, aim to lose 5% to 10% of your body weight gradually.
• Eat your usual foods in smaller amounts.
• Limit fat intake to less than 28% of your daily calories. Get healthy fats from plant sources such as nuts, eat little fat from animal meat, and avoid trans fat.