Prediabetes ‘increases risk of early death by THIRD’ – 3 tips to prevent it

PREDIABETES can increase your risk of an early death by a third, researchers have revealed.

Evidence published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) suggests that prediabetes “is associated with an increased risk of mortality of any cause".

Prediabetes is a condition which is a “pre-diagnosis of diabetes”.

When a person’s blood sugar level is higher than normal - but not high enough for them to be considered as diabetic.

If you are a healthy adult then two hours after eating your blood sugar levels will be up to 7.8mmol/L.

While when fasting they should be between 4.0 to 5.4 mmol/L.

It is estimated that around 470 million people across the world will have prediabetes by 2030 with 70 per cent of them going on to develop type 2 diabetes.

A study by researchers at Southern Medical University in China found that prediabetes was associated with a 13 per cent increased risk of all causes of mortality.

Prediabetes is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality

Researchers at Southern Medical University

The researchers looked at the results of 129 studies and found that prediabetes increased the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 15 per cent over a ten year period.

The studies involved over 10 million individuals.

It found that there were seven extra deaths per 10,000 people and almost nine extra cases of cardiovascular disease per 10,000 people in the general population.

For patients with a history of heart disease prediabetes was associated with a 36 per cent increased risk of all cause mortality.

This is while it was associated with a 37 per cent increase in cardiovascular disease after three years.

This equates to 66 extra deaths per 10,000 people per year and almost 190 extra cases of cardiovascular disease per 10,000 people a year, compared with normal blood sugar levels.

The experts also found that higher than normal blood sugar levels after eating carried a higher risk of mortality than normal blood sugar levels after a period of fasting.

The researchers said: "Prediabetes is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and CVD in both the general population and patients with a history of heart disease.

“Screening and proper management of prediabetes may contribute to primary and secondary prevention of CVD."

There are no symptoms of prediabetes and if you are starting to show symptoms of Type 2 diabetes such as feeling thirsty and peeing more regulary at night, then you may have already developed Type 2.

But there are things you can do to prevent this.

1. Manage your weight

If you are already overweight then you are at higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Losing 5 per cent of your body weight can cut your risk.

Talk to your GP about your option. The NHS runs a variety of community groups and also offers discounts to clubs such as Slimmers World.

Making healthier choices when it comes to what you put inside your body is a great place to start.

2. Eat a healthy balanced diet

While we all like a treat now and again, our overall diet is linked heavily to your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

If your diet is made up of foods that are high in fat then you may be at a greater risk.

Changing your diet to include healthier options is great start.

While you should never cut out whole food groups from your diet, cutting down and the amount of sugars and carbohydrates you consume is a good place to start.

3. Get active

Being active is a great way to manage your weight.

If you lead a sedentary life-style then it's good to take it slow at first. Perhaps start off with walking and progress to running short distances.

If you've not been active for a while it's important to not put too much strain on your body.

Small steps like using the stairs instead of a lift, or standing up more often throughout the day can all make a difference.

You should aim to do around 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week.

This means that your breathing should be increased, but you can still manage to talk.

In order to build your muscle strength you can also try things like gardening, carrying the shopping and yoga.