Early Signs of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes affects over 400 million people worldwide and is notorious for developing slowly and silently. Many people live with elevated blood sugar for years before diagnosis, during which time organ damage may already be occurring. Early recognition is critical.

Classic symptoms of diabetes include: excessive thirst (polydipsia), frequent urination (polyuria) especially at night, unexplained fatigue and weakness, blurred vision, slow-healing cuts and wounds, increased susceptibility to infections, tingling or numbness in hands and feet, and unexplained weight loss despite normal or increased appetite.

Risk factors that should prompt screening include: age over 45, overweight or obesity (especially with central adiposity), family history of diabetes, gestational diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome, sedentary lifestyle, hypertension, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Fasting plasma glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) on two separate occasions confirms the diagnosis.

Prediabetes — blood glucose above normal but below diabetic threshold — affects 1 in 3 adults and is fully reversible with lifestyle changes. Weight loss of 5–7% of body weight, 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, and dietary modification can prevent progression to type 2 diabetes in over 50% of cases.

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