Early Action on Diabetes: Why Knowing Your Numbers Matters
World Diabetes Day falls on 14 November, and this year’s theme is Early Action on Diabetes. The focus is on finding type 2 diabetes and prediabetes sooner, before they have the chance to cause lasting damage to the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves.
Diabetes UK estimates that around 1.3 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes without knowing it, and a further 6.3 million are living with prediabetes.
Below we’ll look at what prediabetes actually is, why it so often goes unnoticed, and why a simple set of checks can tell you far more than waiting for symptoms ever will.
What Is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are higher than they should be, but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. You may also hear it called non-diabetic hyperglycaemia.
It is usually picked up through an HbA1c blood test, which shows your average blood sugar level over the previous two to three months. A result between 42 and 47 mmol/mol is generally classed as prediabetes, while 48 mmol/mol or above suggests type 2 diabetes.
The encouraging part is that prediabetes is not a fixed path. Left alone, it can progress to type 2 diabetes, but for many people healthier eating, regular activity and gradual weight loss can bring blood sugar back into the normal range.
Why It Often Goes Unnoticed
Type 2 diabetes tends to develop slowly and may cause few or no noticeable symptoms, while prediabetes usually causes none at all. When symptoms do appear, such as increased thirst, passing urine more often, tiredness or blurred vision, they are easy to put down to a busy lifestyle or simply getting older.
This is exactly why early action relies on testing rather than waiting to feel unwell. By the time symptoms become obvious, blood sugar may have been raised for some time.
Some people are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than others. Your risk is higher if you are over 40 (or over 25 if you are of South Asian, Black African or African Caribbean heritage), have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes, carry extra weight around your waist, or have high blood pressure. Women who had diabetes during pregnancy, or who have PMOS, the condition previously known as PCOS, are also at higher risk.
Why Your Numbers Belong Together
Blood sugar doesn’t exist in isolation. Raised glucose, high blood pressure and high cholesterol often appear together, and each one adds to your risk of heart attack and stroke. Looking at them side by side gives a much clearer picture of your overall cardio-metabolic health than any single result on its own.
At ERIC Healthcare, our Cardio-Metabolic Health Clinic brings these checks together in one appointment, including HbA1c, blood pressure and cholesterol, alongside a review of your weight and lifestyle. If your results show early changes, our GPs will talk you through practical next steps, so you leave with a plan rather than just a list of numbers. Your results can be discussed in person at our Salford clinic or by virtual consultation.
This World Diabetes Day, take early action. Book a Cardio-Metabolic Health Clinic appointment today.
WhatsApp: +44 7951 553356
Phone: 0161 507 5162
Email: hello@erichealthcare.co.uk