Dear NP

Dear NP,

How often should I be screened for type II diabetes? What is prediabetes? Is there anything I can do to reverse prediabetes and prevent diabetes? F. F.

Dear F. F.,

November is diabetes awareness month. Diabetes is a huge health issue in the United States, affecting 34.2 million adults, just over 1 in 10. You are right to be concerned, and it’s great that you’ve reached out to get some advice. As in any chronic, dangerous illness, it’s easier to treat diabetes if you catch it early and make the necessary lifestyle adjustments now rather than after becoming ill.

How often an adult should be tested for type 2 diabetes (type 1 diabetes starts in childhood) depends on their age, weight and health. For adults over the age of 45, the American Diabetes Association recommends getting screened for abnormal blood glucose levels every three years. If you are overweight and have a poor diet, you may be recommended by your health care provider to get tested more often, perhaps yearly or every 18 months.

Other risk factors for type 2 diabetes that may require you to be tested more often include a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a sedentary lifestyle. If you are concerned, talk to your health care provider at your next annual physical. They know your medical history and can help you determine your risk.

Unlike type 1 diabetes, which appears suddenly and early in life, type 2 diabetes develops slowly over many years. This imperceptible onset makes it all the more important to be screened regularly. However, it also means that early intervention can help prevent the disease from getting worse.

If your blood glucose levels are higher than usual but not high enough for your health care provider to diagnose you with diabetes, you may be diagnosed with prediabetes. Some health care providers may also call prediabetes impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance.

Most people with type 2 diabetes went through a prediabetes phase first. However, the reverse is not true; many people with prediabetes don’t develop diabetes.

In fact, one of the dangers of prediabetes is that it doesn’t always cause noticeable symptoms. Therefore, it can go undiagnosed without regular screening.

However, some people do experience symptoms from prediabetes. Some of these include peeing a lot, feeling a lot thirstier than usual, being tired all the time and blurred vision.

The good news is that since prediabetes gradually shifts to diabetes, you can prevent it from becoming diabetes proper once you know you have it. It’s even possible to reverse prediabetes.

However, this is easier said than done. Many people struggle to reverse prediabetes since many lifestyle factors influence prediabetes, and habits are hard to break. One of the most important things you can do to stop prediabetes from evolving into diabetes is to lose weight. About 5-7% of your body fat is a reasonable guideline for most people.

The good news is that many strategies for losing weight are also good strategies for keeping diabetes away in general. Taking in a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is a great first step. And making sure to get plenty of physical activity throughout the week can help as well.

If you’re already thinking about your diabetes risk, you’re on the right track. If you haven’t been screened in the last three years, make an appointment with your health care provider.

The most critical factor in preventing diabetes is screening. Up to 90% of people who have prediabetes don’t know it. Make sure you are not one of them.

Dr. Wesley Davis is an Emergency Nurse Practitioner at Crook County Medical Services District and Coordinator of the Family and Emergency Nurse Practitioner program at the University of South Alabama. He encourages readers to send their questions to [email protected]