Recent Blog Articles

Prostate cancer in transgender women

Why eat lower on the seafood chain?

Can long COVID affect the gut?

When replenishing fluids, does milk beat water?

Safe, joyful movement for people of all weights

Slowing down racing thoughts

Are women turning to cannabis for menopause symptom relief?

3 ways to create community and counter loneliness

Helping children make friends: What parents can do

Can electrical brain stimulation boost attention, memory, and more?
Diseases & Conditions
Should you worry about prediabetes?
You may be at an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
An estimated 34 million Americans — just over one in 10 — have type 2 diabetes. However, approximately 88 million — more than one in three — have prediabetes, a condition in which the average amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood is high, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. More than 84% of people with prediabetes don’t know they have it.
Older adults tend to ignore the seriousness of prediabetes because, on average, they are less likely to get full-blown diabetes compared with younger people. Still, prediabetes can greatly raise their risk for heart attack and stroke.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
You might also be interested in…

Living Well with Diabetes
Living Well with Diabetes helps you better understand and manage your diabetes. It includes detailed, updated information about medications and alternative treatments for diabetes, and a special section on weight-loss strategies. You’ll also learn the basics of how your body metabolizes sugar, how and when to monitor your blood sugar, and how to cope with both short- and long-term complications of the disease. Most importantly, you’ll see that it’s not just possible to live with diabetes — it’s possible to live well.
Featured Content
- Recognizing the symptoms
- Monitoring blood sugar
- Weight-loss strategies for diabetes
- Alternative treatments for diabetes
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!