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Pre-diabetes

Pre-diabetes is a condition where your blood glucose levels are too high, but not high enough for you to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes has no signs or symptoms. This makes it challenging to diagnose.

Pre-diabetes is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.

Read more in our fact sheet.

An NDSS fact sheet titled 'Understanding pre-diabetes', which explains the condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. The header image shows a family walking outdoors in a sunny park, with a mother and father holding their young daughter's hands as she jumps. The text features sections titled 'Who is at risk of pre-diabetes?', and 'How is pre-diabetes diagnosed?' at the bottom
Understanding pre-diabetes fact sheet

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

Download now

You are not eligible to register for the NDSS if you have pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.

To diagnose pre-diabetes, your doctor or diabetes nurse practitioner will send you to have your blood glucose levels checked at a pathology lab.

Pre-diabetes is managed by making healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These include:

  • weight loss
  • regular physical activity
  • healthy eating
  • well-managed blood pressure and blood fats
  • quitting smoking.

Prevent or delay getting pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes by making healthy food choices and maintaining a healthy weight.

Talk to a dietitian to help you work out a healthy eating plan that suits your needs and food preferences.

Ask an exercise physiologist to develop an exercise plan and show you how to exercise safely.

Check your risk of getting type 2 diabetes with the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AUSDRISK) tool at:

More information and support

Featured resources

An NDSS fact sheet titled 'Understanding pre-diabetes', which explains the condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. The header image shows a family walking outdoors in a sunny park, with a mother and father holding their young daughter's hands as she jumps. The text features sections titled 'Who is at risk of pre-diabetes?', and 'How is pre-diabetes diagnosed?' at the bottom
Understanding pre-diabetes fact sheet

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

Download now
An NDSS fact sheet titled 'Healthy food choices', offering guidance on balanced eating for managing diabetes. The header image at the top shows a top-down view of food preparation, featuring hands mixing green leaves in a bowl alongside sliced avocados, red apples, and a knife on a wooden board. Below the orange title, the text explains healthy eating principles and includes bulleted tips. A circular pie chart on the right side illustrates healthy plate proportions: half the plate for non-starchy vegetables or salad, one-quarter for lean protein foods, and one-quarter for grain foods or starchy vegetables.
Healthy food choices fact sheet

Healthy eating, along with regular physical activity, can help you look after your diabetes. It can also help you manage other risk factors like high blood pressure, or unhealthy cholesterol.

Download now
An informational fact sheet from NDSS titled 'Physical activity'. The text explains the health benefits of regular exercise for managing diabetes, covering different types of physical activities. It features a large header image at the top showing a smiling woman sitting in a grassy park looking at a personal trainer or friend, accompanied by structured text columns, bright orange headings, and orange bulleted lists outlining benefits and tips.
Physical activity fact sheet

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to improve your general health. It can also help manage your diabetes.

Available in other languages Download now