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Already nearly 5 million Poles have pre-diabetes, but the concept itself remains a mystery to most. 41 percent of us know little about “prediabetes”, and 9 percent. knows nothing. This is a mistake, especially since the early diagnosis and implementation of appropriate treatment saves against diabetes and its complications.
One step ahead of diabetes
As the name suggests, pre-diabetes is a high-risk condition of type 2 diabetes, a disease that is one of the major public health problems in the modern world. Statistics show that 422 million people worldwide suffer from a metabolic disease manifested by abnormal blood glucose levels in the patient’s blood. However, the prognosis leaves no doubt – according to experts, in the next two decades the number of patients will increase to 642 million, which means that one in ten of us will fall ill. In our country, about 3 million people struggle with diabetes, of which a million do not know about it!
The worst of diabetes are the life-threatening complications – diabetics whose blood sugar levels are not balanced are at risk of kidney failure, loss of sight due to diabetic retinopathy or “diabetic foot” very often leading to amputation. The most common complication of diabetes is coronary artery disease, which is the main cause of death in diabetic patients in our country. It is estimated that over 50 percent. sick people die because of it. The second most common complication is stroke, which occurs in diabetics 2-3 times more often than in the healthy population.
From this perspective, identifying pre-diabetes early and then treating it properly is truly life-saving.
The two faces of pre-diabetes
Currently, there are two clinical situations associated with elevated blood glucose levels that are defined as “prediabetes”:
- abnormal fasting blood glucose (IFG, impaired fasting glucose), which is diagnosed when blood glucose measured in venous blood plasma (and therefore not in capillary blood with a glucometer) is 100-125 mg / dl (value ≥ 126 mg / dl is characteristic for diabetes)
- impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), diagnosed with the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). If, after drinking a glass of water containing 120 g of glucose dissolved, after 75 minutes, the venous plasma glucose level reaches 140–199 mg / dL, IGT is diagnosed (blood glucose value ≥ 200 mg / dL indicates the presence of diabetes).
Previous studies have shown that while abnormal fasting glucose is more common in younger people with abdominal obesity, IGT is usually diagnosed in older age groups. However, both types of pre-diabetes (IFG and IGT) can occur simultaneously.
Both the presence of impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance is a very good indicator of the risk of an “epidemic of the 5st century” – it is estimated that the annual risk of diabetes in a person with IFG is almost 6 times higher than in a healthy person, in a person with IGT we are talking about a 12-fold increase. In the case of the occurrence of both disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism, the risk increases XNUMX times at the same time!
It has also been shown that within 6–8 years, one third of pre-diabetics will develop full-blown disease, one third will normalize their carbohydrate metabolism, and another third will still be glucose intolerant.
There is no gender, no age
Just like full-blown diabetes, pre-diabetes can affect anyone: a retired senior and a 2-year-old on the verge of life. It is estimated that the number of pre-diabetics is 3-5 times the number of diabetics. Which means that pre-diabetes can be diagnosed in nearly XNUMX million Poles!
One of the most important risk factors for “prediabetes” is overweight and obesity. It is important not only the number of kilograms on the scale (BMI ≥ 25 kg / m2), but also the number of centimeters at the waist. In the case of women, the limit value that should not be exceeded is 80 cm, and in the case of men, 94.
Everyone over 45 who has diabetes in the family, as well as patients with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension) or lipid metabolism disorders are also at risk. Women who have had gestational diabetes, have had a birth weight over 4000 g and have polycystic ovary syndrome are also at risk of prediabetes.
Importantly, similarly to diabetes, called the “silent killer”, pre-diabetes is often asymptomatic. The alarm signals include drowsiness, weariness, weakness, hunger pangs after a meal, nervousness, excessive sweating, and dizziness. Although these symptoms are usually not intense, we should not underestimate them. The earlier we recognize a carbohydrate metabolism disorder, the earlier we will prevent the development of complications characteristic of diabetes. Especially that people with IFG and / or IGT already show the features of blood vessel damage typical of long-term hyperglycemia. Pre-diabetics are also characterized by an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as arterial hypertension and ischemic heart disease.
Taking preventive measures cannot be overestimated – while pre-diabetes is most often reversible, diabetes is not. At www.niebieskipasek.pl, each of us can perform a short pre-diabetes and diabetes risk test and take steps to effectively reduce the risk of a full-blown disease. The risk test is part of an educational campaign conducted by Polpharma, the aim of which is to make Poles aware of pre-diabetes and that it is the last moment when diabetes and other serious complications can be prevented.
You can outsmart your enemy
Experts agree that pre-diabetes is not a verdict. Modifying the lifestyle, including a healthy diet, increasing physical activity and educating the patient and his family, allows pre-diabetics to move away from the specter of diabetes.
Unfortunately, as the Polpharma Report “Poland in pre-diabetes 2021” showed, our knowledge of “prediabetes” leaves much to be desired. 41 percent of us know very little about pre-diabetes, and 9 percent. knows nothing. Worse, only 8 percent. of respondents are aware that a condition characterized by disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism can develop into diabetes.
The Polish BMI is equally worrying – 68 percent of the respondents. admitted that they are overweight or obese, with 78 percent. do not follow any diet, and 54 percent. does not know how many calories he eats in a day! Considering that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have reduced their physical activity and, according to the research of the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene (NIZP-PZH), almost 1/3 (28%) of adult Poles in weight, Poland has really found itself in a prediabetes condition.
The Polpharma report also confirmed the truth that has been known for a long time – social status influences health behavior. Younger, better educated people living in cities pay more attention to their diet and try to compensate for their sedentary lifestyle with regular physical activity.
Smaller circumference, less risk
If you are diagnosed with abnormal fasting glucose (IFG) or abnormal glucose (IGT), there’s really no need to wait. And what will allow us to break the “metabolic alarming circle” is a healthy diet, exercise, education and consistency.
Changing the lifestyle should start with the correction of the composition of the plate – in accordance with the recommendations of the Institute of Food and Nutrition (IŻŻ), more than half of what we eat should be vegetables and fruit. Our diet must include whole grain cereal products, dairy products (kefir, yoghurt, buttermilk), legume seeds and fatty sea fish. Animal fats should be replaced with vegetable ones: olive oil, linseed oil or underestimated oil, and valuable rapeseed oil.
When composing a daily menu, it is worth remembering about the regularity of meals, the variety of food products and the glycemic index (GI) of the prepared dishes. A handful of nuts (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds), vegetables with hummus or guacamole will be the perfect snack for the pre-diabetic.
A few things are definitely worth giving up. The list of “I don’t eat, I don’t get sick” includes sugar, sweets and sweetened drinks. When it comes to salt, it is worth limiting its consumption by choosing spices and fresh herbs. You should also remember to drink the right amount of water and avoid stimulants (nicotine, alcohol).
An inseparable part of the “rescue plan” is physical activity that will not only help us reduce body fat, but also oxygenate the body, support the work of the circulatory system, improve the condition and well-being. Walking, Nordic walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and gymnastics are recommended. Physical effort should be regular – it is best to exercise at least three times a week for 30-60 minutes.
In overweight and obese people, weight reduction should be an important element of therapy. The recommended weight loss rate should be between 0,5 kg and 1 kg per week. The results of the studies conducted so far prove that the smaller the waist circumference, the lower the risk in black and white.
DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program) data shows that every kilogram of weight less reduces the risk of future diabetes by 16%! Changing the lifestyle you eat is especially beneficial for people over 60 years of age. reducing the risk of a full-blown disease by 71%
Pharmacological treatment with metformin is also used in patients diagnosed with pre-diabetes and concomitant risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes (e.g. obesity, gestational diabetes). The doctor should always decide on the need to start the drug and its dose.
The “Blue Strip” educational campaign draws attention to the problem of pre-diabetes. The reference to an item of clothing is intended to indicate one of the risk factors of “prediabetes”, i.e. an abnormal waist circumference. The campaign is organized by Polpharma.