Unmasking prediabetes

TYPE 2 DIABETES DOESN'T ALWAYS arrive with a bang. It can develop slowly but eventually result in marked side effects like extreme thirst and hunger, frequent urination, blurry vision, tingling sensations, and fatigue.

- JAMIE DUCHARME

When the body fails to properly make or use the hormone insulin, blood sugar rises, and sustained levels can damage organs from the heart to the kidneys.

There's an even subtler stage before diagnosis: prediabetes.

People with the condition have blood-sugar levels that are higher than normal, but below the diabetes threshold. There aren't usually any noticeable symptoms, which is why 80% of U.S. adults with the condition don't know they have it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Unfortunately, that's a lot of people: an estimated 38% of U.S. adults have prediabetes, and the trend is rising globally.