The pandemic had large-scale effects on our collective wellbeing that, almost five years later, it can be easy to forget once weren't normal.
These 4 Main Causes Have Increased Prediabetes Since 2020, Says a Cleveland Clinic Doctor
Published on Nov. 13, 2024
Type 2 diabetes is one of those diagnoses you most likely feel the desire to nip in the bud as soon as your doctor tells you it’s on the horizon. While nearly 40 million Americans are managing diabetes, national statistics also suggest that 98 million Americans—one in three adults—are prediabetic. However, it’s estimated that more than 80% of them aren’t aware of it. “If left untreated, type 2 diabetes can cause serious health issues, like heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, vision loss, and nerve damage,” the Cleveland Clinic notes.
Prediabetes is a potentially reversible precursor to type 2. The Cleveland Clinic explains that prediabetes “means your blood sugar levels are elevated but not enough to be Type 2 diabetes.” As a result of factors like diet, physical activity level, and even the link between stress and diabetes, prediabetes means your body has been developing a resistance to releasing insulin.
And, says Cleveland Clinic endocrinologist Peminda Cabandugama, MD, prediabetes has been rising since the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are seeing this not only in the Western world, but we’re also seeing it in the rest of the world as well,” says Dr. Cabandugama, who specializes in diabetes and metabolism treatment. “The world has changed from what we had maybe a few years ago.”
In fact, Dr. Cabandugama suggests there are four main reasons that prediabetes prevalence has been on the rise:
- poor diet
- inadequate exercise
- stress
- compromised sleep
He explains each of these further: “Stress levels are higher. Our sleep is not as good. Our diet is not as good. We tend to be more sedentary. Especially with COVID, I think we were a lot more sedentary,” Dr. Cabandugama says.
Indeed, among some of the medical community, a common phase has been made of the idea that “Sitting is the new smoking.” For many Americans, working from home has eliminated that short walk to the subway or venturing around the corner to grab lunch with a co-worker. Not only might these former habits have optimized daily step count, but they also gave Americans a literal breather away from the steady pressure of the work day. “So,” Dr. Cabandugama says, “all these concepts together have brought out all these chronic diseases and prediabetes is one of them, just like obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol is part of it.”
The good news is that in some cases and with a doctor’s guidance, it’s possible to reverse prediabetes. Dr. Cabandugama says losing even a moderate amount of weight through diet and exercise, and being mindful about stress and sleep, could help you avoid serious problems that can affect every aspect of your health if your condition progresses. This may also involve medication, if your doctor prescribes it.
Prediabetes is often asymptomatic, meaning you may not notice that you’re becoming sick. However, one sign may be darkened skin around the neck, armpits, or groin area. Type 2 diabetes symptoms may include increased hunger and thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, slow healing sores, unintended weight loss, or frequent infections.
Your doctor can perform a blood test to determine whether you are diabetic, prediabetic, or nondiabetic. They can also help you form a treatment or management plan to help bring your insulin levels into a safer range.
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