Information on Borderline Diabetes

Identification

• People with borderline diabetes have high blood sugar levels that are not yet high enough to be defined as Type 2 Diabetes. Type 2 or adult-onset diabetes is a disease where the cells of your body are resistant to insulin, making blood sugar levels dangerously high.
  
  

Diagnosis

• Borderline diabetes typically presents no symptoms in patients, reports the Mayo Clinic. Your doctor can diagnose it either by a fasting plasma glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test. These two blood tests examine the level of sugar present in your bloodstream.
  
  

Risks

• Those at highest risk of borderline diabetes include people who are overweight or inactive. The risk for developing the condition is higher in people over 45 years of age, and those with a family history of Type 2 diabetes. A history of some medical conditions, like polycystic ovarian syndrome and gestational diabetes, also puts a person at risk for developing borderline diabetes.
  
  

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

• Through proper diet and exercise, many borderline diabetics delay or prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes, which can cause a number of complications in the body, such as heart and kidney disease or stroke.
  
  

Considerations

• People with borderline diabetes require regular monitoring by a family practice physician, internist or endocrinologist. A registered dietician can assist borderline diabetics with developing a healthy eating plan to help prevent further increases in blood sugar.