Prediabetes and Your Child
You have been told that your child has prediabetes. This means that your child's blood sugar (glucose) is too high, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Your child is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
In type 2 diabetes, the body isn't able to use insulin very well. Insulin is needed to let the blood sugar into the cells for energy. This is different than type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body doesn't make enough insulin. This is most often from the body's immune system damaging the cells in the pancreas. The pancreas is the organ where insulin is made.
Over time, high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can lead to many health problems. For example, when your child is older, they may develop heart, eye, or kidney disease. You can take action now to lower your child's blood sugar level and help prevent diabetes in your child.
Testing for prediabetes
Lab tests to check blood sugar include:
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Fasting blood sugar (FBS). This test measures blood sugar after not eating for at least 8 hours, often overnight. A normal FBS should be less than 100 mg/dL.
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Glucose tolerance test (GTT). This test measures blood sugar 2 hours after drinking a special high-sugar drink. A normal 2-hour GTT should be less than 140 mg/dL. If this test is used for screening, adequate carbohydrate intake of at least 150 grams per day should be assured for 3 days before testing.
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Hemoglobin A1C (glycated hemoglobin, A1C). This test measures the average blood sugar over a 3-month period. A normal A1C should be less than 5.7%.
When your child has prediabetes, this means that your child had an FBS level of 100 to 125 at least once. Your child may also have had a 2-hour GTT result of 140 to 199, or an A1C of 5.7% to 6.4%. Higher values than these ranges normally mean that your child has diabetes.
Who is at risk for prediabetes?
Diabetes often runs in families. African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander families are often affected. Your child may be more likely to develop diabetes if:
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They spend more time sitting than being active.
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They are overweight for their age and height.
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They have high LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and triglycerides, or low HDL ("good" cholesterol).
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A parent or sibling has diabetes.
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The mother had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
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They eat a lot of processed foods.
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They take certain medicines or have certain health conditions.
Talk with your child's health care provider about these and other risks.
You can help prevent type 2 diabetes
You can help decrease your child’s risk of getting diabetes. Work with your child’s health care provider on the following:
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Healthy eating. Make sure your child is eating healthy foods. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Limit sugars and fats. Limit processed, prepackaged foods and fast foods, such as burgers, fries, and shakes. These foods are high in calories, fat, and sodium. They are also low in nutrition. Also stay away from sugary drinks, such as non-diet soda, sports drinks, lemonade, and sweet tea.
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Physical activity. Being active helps your child’s body use glucose. Try for at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Include muscle and bone strength training at least 3 days per week. It doesn’t have to be all at once. A few sessions of 10 to 20 minutes add up. Focus on having your child spend less time sitting and more time being active.
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Weight loss. Ask your health care provider for a referral to a lifestyle intervention program. This program will help your child get to and stay at a 7% weight loss and increase physical activity. Even a loss of 5% to 7% of body weight may help your child’s body use glucose better.
To learn more
For more information about diabetes, visit these websites: