Are there any warning signs of prediabetes?

Prediabetes is the condition prior to diabetes, where the blood sugars remain high but too high to be diagnosed with diabetes. Ignored, prediabetes can turn into full-fledged type 2 diabetes within five to 10 years after its onset.

Dr. Arbinder Singal, MBBS (Gold Medalist), DNB, M. Ch (AIIMS, Gold Medalist), CEO & Cofounder, Fitterfly says, “The thing with prediabetes is that people who have this condition most often aren’t aware of the same. Just like diabetes, prediabetes is also a silent condition and doesn’t show any signs and symptoms. In most cases, it is detected by accident through a blood test. Again, a reason why many people miss the signal and condition passes to diabetes.”

“Remember, the prevalence of prediabetes in our country is too high. India already has 90 Million people with prediabetes, and it is predicted that 70% of them will convert into type 2 diabetes in the next 5-10 years,” he adds.

He adds further, “At Fitterfly Healthtech, we pioneered the #FightPrediabetes campaign in partnership with top doctors of India, Roche Diabetes, USV and Lal Path labs. Around 5000 people from the top 10 cities of India took the test, and people were asked questions about their health profile, family history of diabetes, other health conditions and lifestyle.”

The results of the survey were shocking:

●65.6% of people under 40 years of age had a moderate to high risk of prediabetes. Men were at 1.5 times higher risk compared to women.

●In people under 40 or above, 95.6 % had a moderate to high risk of prediabetes, with 97.9% men and 89.1 % female at an increased risk of prediabetes. Men were at 1.1 times higher risk than women in this age group.

●Out of the people who completed the risk test, 74 % had BMI (≥ 23 Kg/m2) in the range of obese or overweight category, 59 % had a family history of diabetes, and 44 % were not active as per the World Health Organiation recommendations of 150 mins of moderate physical activity per week.

The survey concluded that 2 out of 3 people in India under the age 40 are at risk of prediabetes.

How Would You Know If You Have Prediabetes?

As mentioned, the condition is silent without any pressing signs and symptoms. So it is essential to be aware of the condition to prevent it from progressing into diabetes. So, follow Fitterfly’s rule of 40, which means you should be especially careful if you are

• Above 40
• Have a family history of diabetes
• Have a BMI above 23

You can also use our prediabetes risk calculator to assess your risk for the same.

What Are The Warning Signs?

While it is challenging to state warning signs for prediabetes, but you should be careful if you experience any of the following:

• Blurry vision
• Dry mouth
• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Increased urinary tract infections (in women)
• Increased irritability, nervousness or anxiety
• Itchy skin
• Odd sensations, such as tingling, numbness, pain or burning in extremities
• Thick, dark, velvety patches on your skin (especially near armpits, neck and elbows)
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unusual fatigue
• Wounds that take long to heal

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What You Can Do?

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes. Here are a few things you can do:

• Try to lose 5 to 10 percent of your body weight
• Stop your vices - smoking, alcohol
• Try healthy eating habits - cut down on carbs & other refined foods
• Try a DTx program: To reverse prediabetes, a personalised and scientific approach is necessary. At Fitterfly, we have designed a unique digital therapeutic program for prediabetes management - Diabefly Pro. Through this program, a team of specialists, including - a nutritionist, a certified physiotherapist and a clinical psychologist, will help you achieve your health goals with tailor-made nutritional interventions and exercise plans. In addition, regular counselling will help you feasibly align your goals to sustain them lifelong.

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To reverse prediabetes, a one-size-fits-all solution will not help. Instead, our coaches would take into account every minute detail through the Fitterfly Wellness App to track your diet and lifestyle and come up with a nutrition and exercise plan to help reverse prediabetes. The diet plans are highly personalised, considering an individual’s personal glycemic response - how your blood sugars react to certain foods.

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