The following tests will confirm if you have diabetes or not.
-Fasting Blood Sugar ≥5.6 mmol/L and <7 mmol/L or
-2-hr Oral Glucose Tolerance Test ≥7.8 mmol/L and <11.1 mmol/l or
-HBA1C of between 5.7–6.4%.
If you have been gaining weight, eating a lot of high-fat and high-sugar foods, and/or not getting much exercise, I’m afraid that you’re already in danger of getting diabetes!
A staggering 5 – 8 million Kenyans show early signs of diabetes (“prediabetes”) but don’t know that they are at risk of developing the full-blown disease. This alarming trend is due, in part, to the ever-increasing number of Kenyans who are overweight, which sharply increases diabetes risk and eating of junk and sugary foods and less exercising activities. Coronavirus and its effect on the economy have made most people more stressed, leading to a poor self-care lifestyle.
Even though this is a frightening scenario, there is some good news. If you identify the warning signs early enough, you can prevent diabetes from developing. If you already have diabetes, proper monitoring and healthful eating can help you control your glucose levels and avoid many of the disease’s serious complications, such as heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, eye disease, nerve damage, and/or amputation.
Prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) develops for the same reasons as type 2 diabetes. They are the same risk factors as those for type 2 diabetes. Various things can increase your risk of developing prediabetes. They include:
1.Being overweight or obese (most people with prediabetes are overweight or obese).
2.Having a family history of diabetes. This refers to a close family member with diabetes – a mother, father, brother or sister.
3.Doing little or no physical activity.
4.Having other risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels.
5.If a woman has polycystic ovary syndrome and is also overweight.
6.If you developed diabetes during pregnancy (called gestational diabetes).
What to Do If You Have Prediabetes
If you have prediabetes, you are more likely to be overweight, to have high triglyceride levels, to have low HDL levels, and to have high blood pressure. These put you at increased risk for heart disease.
If you have prediabetes, go back to your doctor at least once a year to test your blood glucose. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to return your blood glucose levels to normal and decrease your other risk factors:
- Lose weight (if you are overweight). A weight loss of 7% (if you weigh 90 Kgs that’s a weight loss of 6-7 Kgs) will improve your blood glucose levels.
- Lower your triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels (if they are high).
- Lower your blood pressure (if it is high).
- Exercise or increase your activity. 150 minutes of exercise a week (or about 20 minutes per day) will lower your risk for diabetes.
- Eat healthy foods. Healthy eating for diabetes is the same as healthy eating for anyone: low fat, high-fiber grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables; small portions of low-fat meat and protein foods; and limited amounts of fats, sweets, and alcohol.
We already have more than 1.5 million Kenyans who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Would you mind doing whatever it takes not to develop full-blown diabetes?
