Told you have prediabetes? Think of it as an early heads-up, and a real chance to turn things around.

Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. It's very common, and most people don't know they have it. The hopeful news is that small, steady changes can lower your chance of getting type 2 diabetes a great deal, and for many people blood sugar returns to normal. Here you'll find clear, friendly guides for you and your family.

Updated October 3, 2026

In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

Start here

Getting started: a checklist

  • Ask what your test results were, and what they mean.
  • Ask when your blood sugar should be checked again. For many people, it's once a year.
  • Ask whether there's a diabetes prevention program near you or online.
  • Choose one small change, such as a 10-minute walk after a meal, and do it most days.
  • Swap one sugary drink a day for water or another sugar-free drink.
  • Ask about your blood pressure and cholesterol, since prediabetes also affects heart health.
  • If you smoke or vape, ask for help to quit.
  • Tell your family. Type 2 diabetes runs in families, and they may want to get tested too.

Understand prediabetes

What the tests show, why it matters for your heart, and why it's a real chance to make a difference.

  • Understanding prediabetes: What prediabetes means, how it's diagnosed, why it matters for your heart and future health, and why it's a chance to make a real difference. (5 min read)

Turning it around

What the research shows works: moving more, eating well, sleep, prevention programs and, for some people, medicine.

  • Turning prediabetes around: What the research shows about preventing type 2 diabetes, and practical steps you can take: moving more, eating well, sleep, stress, prevention programs and when medicine may help. (6 min read)

Living well

Getting active safely, building strength, eating well, and looking after your heart.

  • Eating well with diabetes: There's no single diabetes diet. Learn the plate method, how carbohydrates affect blood sugar, smart drink swaps and simple, flexible ways to eat well with diabetes. (6 min read)
  • Starting exercise safely: a friendly guide for every body: How to start moving more with confidence: whether you need to check with your doctor, how much to aim for, how to build up, warming up, and the warning signs that mean stop. (7 min read)
  • Strength training basics: getting stronger at any age: A beginner's guide to strength training for adults of any age: why it matters, how often, how many sets and repetitions, choosing the right effort, good form, progressing safely, and simple exercises to start with. (7 min read)

When to get help

Call 9-1-1 now

  • Chest pain, pressure or discomfort, or discomfort spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, with or without shortness of breath
  • Signs of a stroke: face drooping, arm weakness, or trouble speaking
  • Throwing up, stomach pain, deep or fast breathing, or confusion together with extreme thirst and peeing a lot (these can be signs of very high blood sugar)

Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Don't drive yourself.

Book a visit soon

  • You feel very thirsty, are peeing much more than usual, or are losing weight without trying
  • Blurry vision, or feeling very tired for no clear reason
  • Infections that keep coming back, such as yeast or bladder infections, or cuts that heal slowly
  • New tingling or numbness in your feet or hands
  • It's been more than a year since your last blood sugar test
  • You become pregnant, or are planning a pregnancy
  • Side effects from a medicine you've been prescribed, such as metformin
  • Low mood or worry that lasts more than two weeks

Prediabetes itself doesn't cause emergencies, but people with prediabetes have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. If you have chest discomfort or signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number right away. Don't drive yourself to the hospital. If you notice signs of high blood sugar from the second list, book a visit with your doctor or nurse practitioner soon, so they can check whether your blood sugar has risen into the diabetes range.

Questions to ask your team

  1. What were my test results, and what do they mean?
  2. How likely am I to develop type 2 diabetes?
  3. What would be a realistic goal for me?
  4. Is there a diabetes prevention program near me or online?
  5. Can I see a dietitian? Would metformin help me?
  6. When should my blood sugar be checked again? Should my family be tested?

From our guide Understanding prediabetes.

Go deeper

Written for clinicians and students. More technical material from Hibbert Medical, for readers who want more detail.

Podcast summaries

Lectures

Seminars

Clinical cases

Common questions

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. In Canada, Diabetes Canada defines it as an A1C of 6.0% to 6.4%, a fasting blood sugar of 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L, or a 2-hour glucose test result of 7.8 to 11.0 mmol/L. The American Diabetes Association uses a slightly wider range, starting at an A1C of 5.7% or a fasting blood sugar of 5.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL).

Will I definitely get type 2 diabetes?

No. Prediabetes raises your chance of getting type 2 diabetes, but it doesn't mean you'll get it. Many people with prediabetes never develop diabetes, and some return to normal blood sugar levels. Healthy changes can lower your risk a great deal.

How much can lifestyle changes help?

A lot. In the large U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program study, people with prediabetes who took part in a lifestyle program, aiming to lose about 7% of their body weight and be active for 150 minutes a week, lowered their chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% over about 3 years. For people aged 60 and over, the drop was even bigger.

Do I need medicine for prediabetes?

Most people start with healthy changes. For some people at high risk, doctors may suggest metformin, which lowered the chance of type 2 diabetes by 31% in the Diabetes Prevention Program. It seemed to help most in younger people and people with a higher body weight. Ask your team whether medicine makes sense for you.

Do I have to lose weight?

Not necessarily, and weight isn't the only thing that matters. For people who carry extra weight, losing even a small amount, about 5 to 7% of body weight, can make a real difference. But being more active, eating well, sleeping well and not smoking all help, whatever your weight.

Sources for this page

  1. Diabetes Canada: Prediabetes
  2. Diabetes Canada: Prediabetes treatment
  3. Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines: Chapter 3, Definition, classification and diagnosis of diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome
  4. Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines: Chapter 5, Reducing the risk of developing diabetes
  5. American Diabetes Association. 3. Prevention or delay of diabetes and associated comorbidities: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026
  6. NIDDK: Insulin resistance and prediabetes
  7. NIDDK: Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)
  8. Knowler WC, et al. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med. 2002
  9. Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada: Signs of stroke

Back to Diabetes: checking your blood sugar, low blood sugar, sick days, food, activity and support, for any kind of diabetes

General information, not medical advice. It does not replace your own care team. If you think you or someone else is having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 (Canada and the US).

All After a Diagnosis guides