Almost 500,000 people in West Virginia have prediabetes. Are you at risk?

What is prediabetes?

Before people develop type 2 Diabetes they usually have what is called prediabetes. You may have heard this referred to as “borderline” diabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which individuals blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
Prediabetes usually has no symptoms. The vast majority of people living with diabetes don’t know they have it. Some long term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulation may already be occurring. A person who has prediabetes is 5 to 15 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than someone with a normal blood glucose.

Risk factors for prediabetes:

  • 45 years of age or older
  • Being obese or overweight
  • Having a parent or sibling with diabetes
  • Family background is African-American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander
  • Having diabetes while pregnant
  • Being physically active less than three times per week

If you think you may be at risk for developing diabetes, Click here for the Prediabetes Risk Test. If the screening shows you could have prediabetes, talk to a healthcare provider about getting your blood glucose level checked as soon as possible. If the glucose level indicates you have prediabetes, you should consider enrolling in an evidence based lifestyle change program. Prediabetes Referral Form

Group Lifestyle Balance Program

WVU Medicine Potomac Valley Hospital offers Group Lifestyle Balance (GLB) programs  to residents of Mineral County and the surrounding areas. The GLB program helps you achieve two goals: lose weight and increase physical activity and has been show to improve risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Participants of this program work as a group with a Lifestyle Coach during a 22 session/12 month program.

Valerie Starcher, Certified Diabetes Educator and Brenna Earnest, Diabetes Education and Prevention Coordinator

Program locations have included:

  • WVU Medicine Potomac Valley Hospital (multiple programs in the day and evening)
  • Fountain United Brethren Church
  • Fort Ashby Community Center
  • Catholic Church of the Assumption in Keyser
  • Burlington United Methodist Family Services
  • Mineral County Family Resource Network Center

Read about specific GLB Success.

Call 304-597-3774 for further information on prediabetes or the Group Lifestyle Balance program.