American Diabetes Month: Why Prediabetes Screening Matters Before Symptoms Start

November is American Diabetes Month, and one of the most useful things you can do this month has nothing to do with managing diabetes — it's finding out whether you're heading toward it. According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 3 American adults has prediabetes, and the large majority of them don't know. Prediabetes rarely causes symptoms, which is exactly why it goes unnoticed until blood sugar has climbed into the diabetes range. The encouraging part: prediabetes is the stage where changes work best.

What Prediabetes Actually Means

Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. Your body is starting to resist insulin, and your blood sugar is creeping up as a result. It's a warning sign, not a diagnosis — and it isn't a life sentence. Without changes, many people with prediabetes go on to develop Type 2 diabetes, often within several years. With changes, many never do.

The Numbers: What a Screening Looks Like

Screening is a simple blood test, and it's often part of routine lab work. The most common measure is the A1C, which reflects your average blood sugar over the past two to three months: below 5.7% is normal, 5.7% to 6.4% is prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher on repeat testing indicates diabetes. A fasting blood glucose test is another option — 100 to 125 mg/dL falls in the prediabetes range, and 126 mg/dL or higher on repeat testing suggests diabetes. Your doctor may use one or both, and will often repeat a result before drawing conclusions.

Who Should Be Screened

Current guidelines recommend that adults begin screening for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes at age 35, and earlier if you're overweight and have one or more risk factors. Those include a parent or sibling with diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides, a sedentary lifestyle, a history of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome, and belonging to a group at higher risk, which includes Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American communities. If your results are normal, screening is typically repeated at least every three years; if you're in the prediabetes range, yearly testing is usually recommended.

Why the Holidays Make This a Good Time to Check

The stretch from Thanksgiving through New Year's tends to bring heavier meals, more sweets, and fewer regular routines. That's not a reason for guilt — it's a reason to know your baseline before the season starts, so you and your doctor can see where you stand and decide whether anything needs attention in the new year. Many patients find January goes better when they already have a clear number and a plan.

What Helps If You're in the Prediabetes Range

The strongest evidence points to modest, sustainable changes rather than dramatic ones. In the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program study, losing about 5% to 7% of body weight and getting around 150 minutes of moderate activity a week — a brisk walk most days counts — lowered the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by more than half. Cutting back on sugary drinks and refined carbohydrates, adding fiber and vegetables, improving sleep, and not smoking all help too. For some patients, medication such as metformin may be discussed as an additional option. What's right for you depends on your numbers, your health history, and your goals, which is why it's worth talking it through with your doctor rather than guessing.

Get Screened at West Atlanta Primary Care

Dr. Shivam Desai can check your A1C as part of an annual physical or a dedicated visit, review your results with you in plain language, and help build a realistic plan if your numbers are borderline. We see patients 18 and older throughout Douglasville, Douglas County, and the greater West Atlanta area, and we're accepting new patients. If you've already been diagnosed with diabetes, our diabetes management page explains how we support ongoing care. Call us at (678) 401-4597 to schedule — a quick blood test this month could tell you something very useful.