What causes prediabetes?

Insulin helps move glucose from the blood into cells. With insulin resistance, muscle, liver, and fat cells respond less well, so the pancreas may release more insulin to compensate. Over time, that response may not keep glucose within the usual range.

Obesity is a common contributor because excess body fat can promote insulin resistance, but body size alone does not determine who develops prediabetes. Family history, increasing age, limited activity, sleep disruption, some medicines, and a history of diabetes during pregnancy can also influence risk. Prediabetes often causes no clear symptoms, so a blood test is needed to identify it.

Ask a clinician to explain the test result and whether it should be repeated. Regular movement, meals built around vegetables, fibre, protein, and minimally processed foods, and attention to sleep can improve insulin sensitivity. If you live with Obesity, a clinician can discuss realistic weight and activity goals without assuming that one approach suits everyone.

Do not start supplements or glucose-lowering treatment without advice. Monitoring is useful because glucose levels can change with illness, medicines, and lifestyle.

Prediabetes itself is usually found through routine testing rather than an emergency. Seek prompt care for marked thirst with frequent urination, vomiting, severe weakness, confusion, or breathing difficulty, especially if you have diabetes or take glucose-lowering medicine.

Ask which test showed prediabetes, whether repeat testing is needed, what glucose targets apply to you, how medicines or pregnancy affect interpretation, and which lifestyle change would be safest to start first.