Dr. Clare Bradley: Hello! I am a Dr. Clare Bradley, Chief Medical Officer of IPRO. Today I am talking about Prediabetes. When your blood sugar or glucose level is above normal, but not high enough to be diabetes you may have Prediabetes.

In Prediabetes the pancreas is still producing insulin but the body cells do not respond as they should. This is called insulin resistance. When the cells are resistant, it takes more and more insulin to move glucose into the cells. So the pancreas begins to release a higher than normal amount of insulin.

This extra insulin production keeps the glucose normal or just above normal. This can go on for many years without causing symptoms. Prediabetes can eventually turn into diabetes if it is not caught early and treated. Prediabetes affects about 57 million people in the United States.

Jane Giordano: Once a person has been diagnosed with Prediabetes that's a warning sign that diabetes is up ahead and that they really should tighten their control in terms of their weight.

Reducing their weight is important. Getting to within their ideal body weight range and also exercising, getting the regular exercise routine going and of course diet control, making sure that they're eating a healthy and balanced meal plan.

Dr. Clare Bradley: Fortunately, we now know that people with pre-diabetes can do something to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

Studies show that a person can lower his or her risk by losing about 5% to 7% of bodyweight. For a person who weighs 200 pounds, that amounts to about a 10 to 14 pound weight loss.

In one study, this amount of weight loss lowered people's risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 60%. People in the study lost weight by eating less fat and fewer calories and by walking at least 30 minutes a day 5 days a week.

There are three tests that can be used to diagnose Prediabetes; A1C or Hemoglobin A1C, Fasting Plasma Glucose and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. If the result of the A1C test is in the range of 5.

7% to 6.

4% it indicates Prediabetes.

The Fasting Plasma Glucose Test is the preferred method to diagnose Prediabetes. For this test a person fasts overnight, blood is drawn and tested. If the glucose level is between a 100 to a 125 mg per deciliter this is positive for Prediabetes. This is also called an Impaired Fasting Glucose Test.

For the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test a person fasts overnight. After drinking a solution of 75 grams of glucose dissolved in water blood is drawn two hours later and tested. If the glucose level is between a 140 and a 199 mg per Deciliter this is positive for Prediabetes.

If you want to learn more about diabetes, check out our other videos including the Complication of Diabetes.