{"id":71474,"date":"2024-03-12T12:19:01","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T06:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adityabirlacapital.com\/healthinsurance\/active-together\/?p=71474"},"modified":"2025-06-18T18:32:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T13:02:56","slug":"difference-between-prediabetes-and-diabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adityabirlacapital.com\/healthinsurance\/active-together\/2024\/03\/12\/difference-between-prediabetes-and-diabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"Prediabetes vs Diabetes: Understand the Differences"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unlike type 2 diabetes, prediabetes isn\u2019t a chronic condition and can be reversed. <\/span>The glucose released into our bloodstream is used up by our cells for energy. The pancreas produces insulin to get this job done and ultimately balance the glucose levels in our bodies. When our body fails to respond to insulin or stops producing adequate amounts of it, it produces high blood sugar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding prediabetes and diabetes<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Prediabetes<\/p>\n

Having high blood sugar does not mean you have diabetes, but it\u2019s an alarming situation nonetheless. It means that your body is ineffectively utilizing insulin, which can lead to type 2 diabetes<\/strong><\/a> if not tackled right away. The difference between <\/span>prediabetes and diabetes <\/span>is that the former still has time to prevent serious, chronic complications from occurring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Defining prediabetes<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Prediabetes is a transitional phase where the body shows high blood sugar levels but not high enough, like diabetes. It has been seen over the years that people who take quick action and make healthier changes in their nutrition, physical activity and overall lifestyle can reverse prediabetes. On the other hand, due to negligence, 80% of people with prediabetes can contract type 2 diabetes within a decade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is diabetes?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body has excessively high blood glucose levels due to its inability to produce or synthesize insulin. It requires lifelong management and treatment to prevent damage to other organs, such as the heart, kidneys, nerves, and eyes. Anyone is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes<\/strong><\/a>, and the triggers can range from genes to poor lifestyle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes and risk factors\u00a0<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n

The causes of prediabetes or diabetes can be traced down to similar characteristics. Only timely intervention can prevent severe health complications. Obesity, age, race, ethnicity, family history, sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition can all cause prediabetes and, ultimately, diabetes if unchecked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The risks of unmanaged prediabetes can be a stroke, heart disease, and eventually developing type 2 diabetes. People with diabetes, however, need to tread carefully as uncontrolled diabetes can have life-threatening consequences such as chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases and diabetic retinopathy<\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms and diagnosis\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Prediabetes<\/p>\n

Regular blood tests, health checkups and consultations are always a clever way of avoiding chronic diseases or managing them better, especially when there are no apparent symptoms like prediabetes. Due to insulin resistance,<\/strong><\/a> some patients may experience <\/span>dark pigmentation\/discoloration<\/span> or patches around the armpits, neck, elbows, knees and knuckles. Seek immediate help if you experience blurry vision, fatigue, increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination and difficulty healing cuts or sores, as they can be symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Your doctor may advise specialized tests to diagnose your symptoms if necessary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Differences between prediabetes and diabetes<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n

The critical difference between prediabetes and diabetes is that although high blood sugar levels characterize both, the former can be reversed or managed well to avoid chronic diseases or significantly delay them. Your doctor may recommend medicines along with lifestyle modification for the same.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n