The shocking truth about diabetes

People with prediabetes have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. The risk of serious health problems increases even more for people with diabetes.

Diabetes affects every major organ in the body. People with diabetes often develop major complications, including kidney failure, blindness, and nerve damage. Nerve damage can lead to amputation (removal by surgery) of a toe, foot, or leg. Having diabetes can also double the risk of depression. That risk increases as more diabetes-related health problems develop. All can sharply reduce quality of life.

Think of prediabetes as a fork in the road. If you ignore it, your risk for type 2 diabetes goes up. Lose a modest amount of weight and get regular physical activity, and your risk goes down. Modest weight loss means 5% to 7% of body weight, just 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. Regular physical activity means getting at least 150 minutes a week of brisk walking or similar activity. That’s just 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

The CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) can help people make the lifestyle changes needed to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Through the program, participants:

Work with a trained coach to make lasting lifestyle changes.
Discover how to eat healthy and add more physical activity into their day.
Find out how to manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can slow progress.
If you have prediabetes, ask your health care provider about the National DPP lifestyle change program. The best time to prevent type 2 diabetes is now