Pre-Diabetes | New Forest PCN

Pre-Diabetes (Non-Diabetic Hyperglycaemia)

Pre-Diabetes is a condition where your sugar levels are sightly higher than normal but not as high as would suggest a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. Having Pre-Diabetes shows that your body is struggling to deal with the level of sugar in your blood. This can be associated with being overweight and having too much fat in the liver and pancreas.

HbA1c Blood Test

An HbA1c blood test is a test which looks at how much sugar your red blood cells have been exposed to in the last 3 months. It is useful as it tell you about your average sugar level rather than a finger prick test which just tells you what your sugar level is right there and then. The results are related but not directly e.g. an HbA1c of 48mmol/mol suggests an average sugar level of around 7.8mmol/L. HbA1c can be used to diagnose Pre-Diabetes or Diabetes as shown in the illustration. If you have no symptoms (e.g. thirst, weight loss) then two readings of 48 or above are needed to make a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes.

Annual HbA1c Check

Each year a person with Pre-Diabetes should have an HbA1c blood test. This might not have happened as routinely in the past but there is now a bigger focus on this as we know that people with Pre-Diabetes are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes but also that this can be prevented in a lot of people. The test might be done opportunistically along with some other tests or you may receive a specific invitation for this test. Do you know what your last result was? Use the information below to help you interpret your result.

Pre-Diabetes: 42-47

Your HbA1c is in the Pre-Diabetic Range. You are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes in the future.

Have a look at the resources below for things which might help reduce your HbA1c and potentially get your Pre-Diabetes into remission

Diabetes: 48 or above

If you previously had Pre-Diabetes but now have an HbA1c of 48 or above then this would suggest you have developed Type 2 Diabetes. Normally a second confirmationary blood test is needed.

It may be still possible to get your sugar levels back to normal. Have a look at our Type 2 Diabetes Remission page.

Normal: <42mmol/mol

You are doing great. Your HbA1c is not in the Pre-Diabetic range. It could be said that your Pre-Diabetes is in remission.

You are still at increased risk of developing a raised HbA1c in the future so you should stick to any diet/lifestyle changes you have made and have a repeat test each year.

Lower Carbohydrate Approach

Our experience has shown that the most effective way to reduce sugar levels is to reduce the amount of carbohydrate you eat in your diet. We have been seeing some amazing results. We would recommend trying this approach first of all.

Why not then get a repeat HbA1c after three months to see how your levels have changed. Check your weight before you start as poeple often see significant weight loss. Click on the image below to go to our low carb diet pages.

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Programme

From 23/7/22 our local Daibetes Prevention Programme provider is changing to a company called Xyla.

You can learn more by clicking on the image above. You can potentially self-refer by first working out your risk score here.

This site does not provide personal medical advice.

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