Have you or a family member been told you have prediabetes? Prediabetes means
blood sugar is higher than normal, but it's not high enough to be type 2
diabetes. Think of prediabetes as a traffic light that goes from green to
yellow to red. Prediabetes is the yellow warning light. It affects both adults and
children and prediabetes is on the rise in children and in teens. Many people
don't have any symptoms, but having high blood sugar increases the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes. Over time high blood sugar can damage the eyes, the
kidneys, the nerves, and other organs. By taking action now you can help prevent
or delay type 2 diabetes. Here's what you can do to help bring blood sugar back to
the normal range. First, move more every day. When you're active, your muscles use
the sugar in your blood for energy. How can you be more active? Turn off screens
and take walks together as a family. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Bike
to school or work. What else can you do? Swap sugary drinks for water or milk.
Sodas, sports drinks, and even juice can have as much sugar as a candy bar. That's
a lot of sugar to drink. Eating healthy is important. Fill half your plate with
vegetables, have healthy snacks like an apple with peanut butter or a handful of
nuts. For kids and younger teens the goal is to maintain weight or slow down
weight gain as they grow. Focus on creating healthy habits that will last a
lifetime. For older teens and adults who are
overweight, losing five to seven percent of body weight can reduce the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes by nearly 60%. Prediabetes is serious but it's not too
late to make healthy changes and turn things around.