Diabetes UK is raising the alarm about the prevalence of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, emphasizing that an estimated 1.3 million individuals may unknowingly be living with the condition. The organization urges people to be vigilant about potential signs, which are often dismissed as minor or normal.

The charity highlights the concept of “prediabetes,” a state where blood sugar levels are elevated but not yet high enough to qualify as type 2 diabetes. While this may sound reassuring, it signals a heightened risk of developing the full-blown disease.

Interestingly, prediabetes itself does not present symptoms. This lack of overt signs means many may not realize their risk until they have already progressed to type 2 diabetes. Therefore, awareness of the risk factors becomes crucial.

Prediabetes warning signs

Diabetes UK points out that many people with type 2 diabetes might not experience or recognize symptoms. This underscores the importance of understanding the subtle indicators that could signify the onset of the condition.

To help identify potential concerns, here are the key warning signs to watch for:

But there are some warning signs to look out for, including:

1. going to the toilet more often, especially at night
2. feeling more tired than usual
3. losing weight without trying
4. genital itching or thrush
5. cuts and wounds taking longer to heal
6. blurred vision
7. feeling extremely thirsty

Also called borderline diabetes, these higher-than-normal blood sugar levels can be detected through blood tests. The medical terms for higher-than-normal blood sugars are:

• impaired fasting glucose (IFG)
• impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)
• impaired glucose regulation (IGR)
• non-diabetic hyperglycaemia

But why are these terms important? The health experts explain: “These tests are a mix of fasting or non-fasting and they all help your healthcare team to understand your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

“So, if you’ve been told you have any of these, knowing this is the first step to being able to do something about it. And for many people there are things you can do to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.”

If I have prediabetes, will I get diabetes?

No, not always. The experts stress that “many people can reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes and it may be possible to prevent or delay the condition developing” if you take the correct steps.

These are some things to remember:

That’s why it’s very important to know the risk factors:

• You’re more at risk if you’re white and over 40 or over 25 if you’re African-Caribbean, Black African, or South Asian.
• You’re two to six times more likely to get type 2 diabetes if you have a parent, brother, sister or child with diabetes.
• Type 2 diabetes is two to four times more likely in people of South Asian descent and African-Caribbean or Black African descent.
• You’re more at risk if you’ve ever had high blood pressure.
• You’re more at risk of type 2 diabetes if you’re living with being overweight or obese.

Preventing type 2 diabetes

Diabetes UK stress that “being at risk doesn’t mean you will definitely develop type 2 diabetes” but you can begin by making some small changes. This includes:

• Manage your weight
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet
• Reducing your intake of sugar-sweetened drinks, red and processed meats (beef, lamb, pork, ham and sausages), refined carbohydrates (sugary snacks, white bread, sugary cereals) and potatoes, particularly fries.
• Be more active

You may be eligible for a free NHS Health Check. This will check for health conditions, including type 2 diabetes.