Prediabetes age 30…please help

[making_changes]

I’m a 30 year old father of 2 small children. Poor diet, weight for the last 10 years. Had a fasting blood glucose test today that showed levels at 116 mg/dL.m, giving a diagnosis of prediabetes. Just 12 months ago, my level was 95 and A1c was 5.6.

All of a sudden, I was thrown into the world of diabetes. I am new to all of this.

I have read that lifestyle changes can reverse prediabetes, but that it is never truly gone, just in remission. My question: for someone diagnosed as young as me (with nearly 5 decades left to live to a normal life expectancy) is there any hope I could achieve remission permanently, or is it most likely that even if I kept the weight off, it would still gradually progress and eventually turn into T2D? I want to manage my expectations.

Thank you all.

 

[Eddy Edson]

I would say that anybody telling you that prediabetes can't be zapped into permanent submission is full of it. Lose some weight, keep it off, you'll probably be fine.

By the way "prediabetes" is kind of a marketing term. There's just about sod all complication risk with BG at "prediabetic" levels, and only a tiny proportion progress to actual diabetes on an annual basis. Just treat it as a heads up to make some simple changes.

 

[Drummer]

You might have to continue to be aware of carbs in your diet in future - but a low carb diet is not difficult to stick to - it has all the tasty things and none of the bland ones. You have been detected very early, so it might be only weeks until you are back in normal numbers. I was trying to eat low carb and being nagged not to for many years, but I have always been able to return to it and felt my metabolism improving, over and over again down the decades.
High carb and low fat has always been pushed as healthy - it never worked for me.
Eating low carb is likely to help you with maintaining weight, and keeping up with the children - though you might need to be careful - my son tends to eat low carb, not as low as I do, but he has five children now. It seems that he only needs to grin mischievously and another one is on the way.

 

[Leadinglights]

I’m a 30 year old father of 2 small children. Poor diet, weight for the last 10 years. Had a fasting blood glucose test today that showed levels at 116 mg/dL.m, giving a diagnosis of prediabetes. Just 12 months ago, my level was 95 and A1c was 5.6.

All of a sudden, I was thrown into the world of diabetes. I am new to all of this.

I have read that lifestyle changes can reverse prediabetes, but that it is never truly gone, just in remission. My question: for someone diagnosed as young as me (with nearly 5 decades left to live to a normal life expectancy) is there any hope I could achieve remission permanently, or is it most likely that even if I kept the weight off, it would still gradually progress and eventually turn into T2D? I want to manage my expectations.

Thank you all.

At least you have been given the heads up and have the opportunity to get blood glucose levels back into normal range.
ALL carbohydrates convert to glucose so logic tells you that by reducing those, you are not feeding your body with things which your body cannot tolerate.
But you have to recognise that your body will most likely always struggle with those carb and you would need to watch your intake. But by establishing a dietary regime with foods and meals you enjoy then that is sustainable.
I choose a low carb regime of approx 70g per day and can honestly say there is nothing I miss as there are plenty of tasty meals I have so there is no temptation to go back to previous way of eating.
It is perhaps more difficult with a family but most people eat more carbs than they need to, so look upon this as an opportunity for healthier family meals.

 

[Eddy Edson]

I'd just add that there is probably no reason at all for you to stress about cabs.

Despite the Internet, carbs don't cause prediabetes/diabetes & cutting them probably won't by itself give you a long term fix. On the other hand, adopting an unnecessarily restrictive diet is a classic pitfall for long term adherence.

Most likely what has happened is that you've built up a bit more visceral fat around your liver than it can deal with properly, one effect of which is to cause it to pump out unnecessary amounts of glucose (technically, by a process called "gluconeogenesis", which BTW doesn't use carbs). That's the classic route into T2D, and you can probably fix it by losing some weight & keeping it off.

 

[nonethewiser]

Agree with Eddys sensible advice above.

Wife was in same position, told she was pre diabetic then went on to lose 5 stone in weight by joining slimming group, all bloods since have been normal & still enjoys normal healthy diet, it can be done.

 

[making_changes]

Agree with Eddys sensible advice above.

Wife was in same position, told she was pre diabetic then went on to lose 5 stone in weight by joining slimming group, all bloods since have been normal & still enjoys normal healthy diet, it can be done.

How old was she when she was told she was PD and how long has she been in remission?

 

[nonethewiser]

How old was she when she was told she was PD and how long has she been in remission?

Really dont think it matters what age you do it, losing weight & visceral fat around organs should reverse things.

She was 48 at time & that was 4 years ago thereabouts, at time of diagnosis told her about work of Prof Taylor's newcastle diet which was inspiration to lose that weight.