According to the World Health Organization, prediabetes affects about 422 million people worldwide, and its prevalence has been rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries. Prediabetes is a condition that increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, but it can be prevented or delayed by lifestyle interventions, such as the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program.
Prediabetes is when blood sugar levels are between 100 and 125 mg/dL (fasting) or 140 and 199 mg/dL (2-hour post glucose challenge).
But the main question is: What is the natural history of prediabetes in adults older than 60 years, and how does it affect their risk of developing diabetes and its complications?
A study was conducted by Vernose et1 al and the bottom line was:
“The prevalence of prediabetes in older adults is high, but the progression from prediabetes to diabetes is uncommon, whereas the regression to normoglycemia or the progression to death was more frequent.”
Resources:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prediabetes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355284
1Veronese, N., Noale, M., Sinclair, A., Barbagallo, M., Dominguez, L. J., Smith, L., Pizzol, D., & Maggi, S. (2022). Risk of progression to diabetes and mortality in older people with prediabetes: The English longitudinal study on ageing. Age and ageing, 51(2), afab222. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afab222
