Diabetes: More than just sugar overload?

57 million Americans have prediabetes and 24 million others have diabetes. A prediabetic's risks for complications are nearly as great as a diabetic's risk. In many cases, progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes can be prevented. Lifestyle changes --weight loss, eating better, exercise and good sleep-- are key

There's now evidence that a prediabetic patient's risks for eye, kidney, and nerve damage, as well as heart disease, are nearly as great as a diabetic's, says Alan J. Garber, M.D., chairman of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

The good news is that in many cases the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes can be prevented with a few lifestyle changes. How? By losing 7 percent or more of your body weight, in addition to exercising and following a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, high-fiber diet. Research has shown that people with prediabetes who took these steps had a 58 percent success rate in avoiding progressing to type 2 diabetes, AACE endocrinologist Garber says. Prescription medication -- such as metformin, acarbose, or thiazolidinediones -- may also be required for those in high-risk groups or those not successful with lifestyle changes.