Having prediabetes means your blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

In the United States, about 1 in 3 adults has prediabetes, and more than 8 in 10 of them don't know they have it. Without taking action, many people with prediabetes could develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years.

With type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, your body can't effectively use insulin (a hormone that helps glucose get into the cells of the body). You can get type 2 diabetes at any age, but certain factors increase your risk. Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented in people with prediabetes through effective lifestyle programs.

Type 2 diabetes has serious consequences

Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, and studies show that deaths related to diabetes may be underreported.

Diabetes increases the risk of serious health problems, including:

• Heart attack

• Stroke

• Blindness

• Kidney failure

• Loss of toes, feet, or legs

PreventT2 program Is a one-year long commitment.  Lasting changes take time and need as much support as possible. The program includes 

• 16 weekly sessions followed by 6 monthly check-ins. 

• CDC-approved curriculum with lessons, handouts, and other resources to help you make healthy changes.

• A specially trained Lifestyle Coach leads the program to help you learn new skills, encourage you to set and meet goals, and keep you motivated. The coach will also facilitate discussions and help make the program fun and engaging.

• A support group of people with similar goals and challenges. Together, you can share ideas, celebrate successes, and work to overcome obstacles. In some programs, the participants stay in touch with each other during the week. It may be easier to make changes when you’re working as a group than doing it on your own.

During each session, the lifestyle coach and participants will work together to explore topics such as: 

• Eating healthier

• Adding physical activity to your life

• Managing stress

• Staying on track when eating out

• Staying motivated

• Improving sleep habits

• Increasing positive self-talk

• Solving problems that can get in the way of healthy changes

Sessions are available in person or online with daytime and evening options.

To participate, you must meet ALL 4 of these requirements:

1. Be 18 years or older

2. Have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher (23 or higher if you're an Asian American person)

3. Not be previously diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes

4. Not be pregnant 

You'll also need to meet 1 of these requirements:

1. Had a blood test result in the prediabetes range within the past year (includes any of these tests and results):

• Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7%–6.4%

• Fasting plasma glucose: 100–125 mg/dL

• 2-hour plasma glucose (after a 75g glucose load): 140–199 mg/dL.

2. Be previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy).

3. Received a high-risk result (score of 5 or higher) on the Prediabetes Risk Test

Prevent T2 is a year-long program focused on long-term changes and lasting results

During the first 6 months of the program, meetings are once a week. You will learn to:  

• Eat healthy without giving up all the foods you love

• Add physical activity to your life, even if you don’t think you have time

• Deal with stress

• Cope with challenges that can derail your hard work—like how to choose healthy food when eating out

• Get back on track if you stray from your plan—because everyone slips now and then

In the second 6 months, meetings are once or twice a month. You will enhance the skills you’ve learned so you can maintain the changes you’ve made. These sessions will review key ideas such as:

• tracking your food and physical activity

• setting goals, staying motivated

• overcoming barriers

You may think you learned enough in the first 6 months and can skip the second half of the program, but you would be cheating yourself!

Making lifestyle changes is an ongoing process. Staying in the program for the full year is essential to help you stick to new habits and avoid slipping back into old habits. And if you have not reached your goals in the first half of the program, your lifestyle coach and other group members can help you succeed.

A year might sound like a long commitment, but learning new habits, gaining new skills, and building confidence takes time. As you begin to eat better and become more active, you’ll notice changes in how you feel, and maybe even in how you look.