URMC / Encyclopedia / Content Search Encyclopedia What Do You Know About Prediabetes? Take this quiz to find out how to cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 1. If you are taking the fasting plasma glucose test, what blood sugar level may mean prediabetes? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Three tests can be used to find out if you have prediabetes. They are the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG), the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and the hemoglobin A1C (A1C). The FPG is done after you go without food (fast) for 8 hours. A normal fasting blood sugar level is less than 100 mg/dL. If you have the FPG test, prediabetes is a blood sugar level of 100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL. Diabetes is a fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or greater on 2 or more separate occasions. The OGTT is done after 8 hours of fasting and 2 hours after you drink a sweet beverage. If you have the OGTT, prediabetes is a blood sugar level of 140 mg/dL to 199 mg/dL, 2 hours after the drink. Diabetes is a blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL or greater. The A1C is a blood test. It measures your average glucose level in your blood over a period of 3 months. You don't need to fast before the blood test is done. Your healthcare provider may decide that you have prediabetes if your A1C result is between 5.7% and 6.4%, depending on the lab running the test. An A1C of 6.5% or higher can be used to diagnose diabetes. A. 90 to 100 mg/dL B. 100 to 125 mg/dL C. 120 to 135 mg/dL D. 140 to 155 mg/dL 2. If you have prediabetes, when are you likely to develop type 2 diabetes? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is The actual time span can vary, based on how physically active you are. If you are overweight, you can actually head off diabetes by losing weight, says the American Diabetes Association (ADA). If you lose 5% to 10% of your body weight and begin exercising for 30 minutes every day, you can greatly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program. If you smoke, quit smoking. A. Usually in 1 year B. Usually in 5 years C. Usually in 10 years D. It depends on how willing you are to make lifestyle changes 3. Besides diabetes, a person with prediabetes is at greater risk for which disease? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is People with prediabetes are more likely to develop heart disease than those who have normal blood sugar levels, according to the American Heart Association. A person with diabetes is 2 to 4 times more likely to die from heart disease. A. Cancer B. Lactose intolerance C. Low blood pressure D. Heart disease 4. How does being overweight add to the risk for prediabetes? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Too much body fat (especially around the middle) can make your body resistant to insulin, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Your body then makes more insulin. But over time it can't keep up with the demand. The extra blood sugar then builds up in your bloodstream. This leads to prediabetes. Exercise has the opposite effect of too much fat. It helps the insulin in your body work as it should. A. Too much body fat absorbs too much insulin B. Too much body fat leads to too much insulin C. Too much body fat interferes with the way insulin works D. None of the above 5. Which of these is a symptom of prediabetes? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is People with prediabetes often have no symptoms. The only way to know if you have prediabetes or diabetes is to have a blood test. Talk with your healthcare provider if you think you need a test for this condition. A. Tiredness B. Extreme thirst C. Tingling in the arms or legs D. None of the above 6. Who should be tested for prediabetes or diabetes? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Anyone age 35 or older should be tested for diabetes. Because your risk rises as you get older, talk with your healthcare provider about testing if you are 35 or older. If you are younger than 35, you should be tested if you are overweight and at least one of these describes you: A family history of diabetes Low HDL cholesterol levels and high triglyceride levels High blood pressure A history of diabetes during pregnancy or a baby born weighing more than 9 pounds A member of a minority group that includes African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic American, or Asian American/Pacific Islander A. Any person starting at age 35 B. A person who had diabetes during pregnancy C. Adults who are overweight and have one or more other diabetes risk factors D. A person with HIV E. All of the above 7. If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, when should you have your blood sugar tested again? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, you may need a second test in 1 year to confirm the diagnosis. A. In 2 months B. In 6 months C. In 1 year D. In 5 years Your score was: Medical Reviewers: Felson, Sabrina, MD Hurd, Robert, MD Turley, Raymond Kent, BSN, MSN, RN