Which Country Has the Highest Diabetes Rate?

Doctors use the term “prediabetes or borderline diabetes” when a person’s blood sugar level is usually in the range of 100-125 mg/dL. The prediabetes level means that the blood glucose level is higher than usual but not high enough to be called diabetes. People with prediabetes are, however, at risk of type 2 diabetes, although they do not usually experience the symptoms of full-blown diabetes.

The risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are similar. They include:

• A family history of diabetes
• Being overweight
• Having a sedentary lifestyle
• Abnormal lipid profile
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Having gestational diabetes or giving birth to a child with a birth weight of more than 9 lbs

The classical symptoms of untreated diabetes include:

• Unintended weight loss
• Polyuria (increased urination)
• Polydipsia (increased thirst)
• Polyphagia (increased hunger)

Symptoms develop rapidly in type 1 diabetes, whereas they usually develop much more slowly, are subtle, or absent in type 2 diabetes. Several signs and symptoms can mark the onset of diabetes. They include:

• Blurred vision
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Slow healing of wounds
• Itchy skin and skin rashes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by recurrent or persistent high blood sugar level and is diagnosed using

• Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test.
• Fasting plasma glucose test.
• Glucose tolerance test.
• Random blood sugar test.
• Post-meal (after 2 hours of having a meal) blood glucose test.

There is no established measure to prevent type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). However, one can lower the risk of type 2 DM by following the below measures:

• Eating a diet high in fresh, nutritious foods including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, and healthy fat sources such as nuts
• Avoiding high-sugar foods that provide empty calories or calories that do not have other nutritional benefits such as sweetened sodas, fried foods, and high-sugar desserts
• Refraining from drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or keeping intake to less than one drink a day
• Engaging in at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least 5 days a week, such as walking, aerobics, riding a bike, or swimming
• Recognizing signs of low blood sugar levels such as dizziness, confusion, weakness, and profuse sweating when exercising