Incredibly,
one in four Americans over age 20 has prediabetes -- and most don't even know
it. Being prediabetic means that your blood glucose levels are higher than
normal but short of being classified as diabetic levels. Studies show that most
people with prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years,
unless they lose weight and make dietary and exercise changes.
Because
prediabetes develops gradually over years, it's often said that there are no
obvious symptoms. But it's possible to notice certain warning signs of growing
insulin resistance, the inability to process the energy in food properly that's
a key aspect of prediabetes, says Beth Reardon,
director of nutrition for Duke Integrative Medicine at Duke University.
Paying
close attention to such warning signs gives you plenty of time to make changes
before the situation progresses to type 2 diabetes, she says.