Prediabetes: The Warning Signs Not to Ignore
What is prediabetes
Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar — the amount of glucose in the blood — is higher than normal, but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It is not a disease in itself, but an intermediate stage: a warning sign that glucose metabolism is changing. A significant share of people with prediabetes, if they take no action, go on to develop diabetes within a few years. The good news is that this is not inevitable: prediabetes is often reversible.
The values that define prediabetes
Prediabetes is identified with simple blood tests. The indicative values are:
- Fasting glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL (impaired fasting glucose).
- Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) between 5.7% and 6.4%: it reflects average blood sugar over the past two to three months.
- 2-hour glucose after an oral load (OGTT) between 140 and 199 mg/dL (impaired glucose tolerance).
Values above these thresholds point toward diabetes and must always be confirmed and interpreted by a doctor, usually by repeating the test.
Signs and symptoms: often invisible
Prediabetes usually has no obvious symptoms, which is exactly what makes it tricky: you can live with altered values for years without noticing. When present, signs can include increased thirst, more frequent urination, fatigue or blurred vision. Many people discover it only through a routine test or a screen.
Who is most at risk
Some conditions raise the likelihood of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes:
- Overweight or obesity, especially abdominal fat
- Family history of diabetes (parents or siblings)
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Age over 45
- Previous gestational diabetes or a high-birth-weight baby
- High blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol and triglycerides
Why acting now makes the difference
Prediabetes is not a sentence. Clinical studies have shown that lifestyle changes — balanced eating, regular physical activity and losing even a small percentage of weight — can reduce the risk of progressing to diabetes by about 58%, in many cases more than medication. Acting early often brings blood sugar back to normal and prevents future complications.
Frequently asked questions
Can prediabetes be reversed? Yes, in many cases. Losing weight, moving more and improving your diet can bring blood sugar back into the normal range.
How often should I check? With risk factors, it's worth discussing it with your doctor and repeating tests periodically. A non-invasive screen can help keep an eye on things between check-ups.
The role of screening
Because prediabetes is silent, regular checks are essential, especially with risk factors. A screening tool like Rima GlucoLens can offer an early, convenient, non-invasive signal of glucose in the urine. A positive result is not a diagnosis, but an invitation to see your doctor for confirmatory blood tests.
References: World Health Organization (WHO); American Diabetes Association (ADA); MSD Manuals. This article is for information only and does not replace medical advice.
Last updated: July 2026