You can’t change certain risk factors for prediabetes, such as your age, family history of the disease, and race or ethnicity. But your actions today can reduce other risk factors like excess weight, inactivity, high stress levels, and poor sleep.

An estimated 98 million Americans have prediabetes.[i] “Pre” means before. As the name suggests, prediabetes occurs before the onset of Type 2 diabetes.[ii] If you have prediabetes, it means your blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than they should be.[iii]

There’s a 50% chance that prediabetes will progress to Type 2 diabetes in the next 5 to 10 years.[iv]

There’s also a 50% chance that it won’t.

You have the power to reverse prediabetes and improve your outcome. Here’s how.

How to reverse prediabetes

These 4 steps can help manage prediabetes and lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes:

1. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight

Excess weight is a major risk factor for insulin resistance and diabetes.[v] Insulin resistance occurs when fat cells, as well as cells in your liver and muscles, can’t absorb glucose from blood as well as they should.[vi] Because of this resistance, glucose stays in your blood and continues to build up.[vii]

People with obesity are 6 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than peers who are at healthier weights.[viii] But it’s not just the number on the scale that matters. Where you carry that extra weight also makes a difference. People who carry more weight around their waist (apple shape) are more at risk for diabetes than those who carry the weight in their hips and thighs (pear shape).[ix]

Losing weight can be challenging. The good news is that you don’t need to lose a significant amount of weight to reverse prediabetes. A small amount of weight loss—5% to 7% of your body weight—makes a difference.[x] That’s 10 to 14 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds.[xi] You can achieve this weight loss goal by making smart dietary changes and moving more.

2. Make smart dietary changes

There isn’t a diet to reverse prediabetes. But making smart dietary changes  can promote a healthy weight. The foods and drinks you choose also affect insulin sensitivity, or how well your body uses insulin to move glucose from the bloodstream.[xii] Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps move glucose from blood into liver, muscle, and fat cells.[xiii]

Your body quickly breaks down foods and drinks high in simple carbohydrates and sugar, causing blood glucose levels to rise.[xiv] A healthier diet for diabetes prevention is one that has fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as good sources of protein like seafood and salmon.

3. Move more

Physical activity can help you burn calories, lose unwanted pounds, and maintain a healthy weight. It also reduces insulin resistance because the muscles you use during exercise absorb glucose from blood better.[xv] As a result, blood glucose levels stay in a healthy range.

Findings from the national Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and DPP Outcomes Study (DPPOS) suggest that combining exercise with smart food choices can lower your Type 2 diabetes risk by up to 71% in just 3 years.[xvi]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Diabetes Association recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week.[xvii] That’s doable when you break it down to 22 minutes of exercise every day or 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.[xviii]

If you’ve been sedentary, get the OK from your health care provider first.[xix] Then, consider starting with mini-exercise sessions, such as brisk walking for 10 minutes 2 or 3 times a day.[xx] There are lots of ways to move more that don’t require a gym membership. Mowing the lawn, intense gardening, and walking all count.[xxi]

4. Stress less, sleep more

Too much stress and not enough sleep also contribute to prediabetes.[xxii] High stress levels and poor sleep can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance.[xxiii] Stress and anxiety can activate your body’s fight-or-flight mode, releasing adrenaline and cortisol.[xxiv] These hormones make it hard to relax and get a good night’s rest.[xxv]

Fortunately, many of the recommended actions to reverse prediabetes can help you stress less and sleep more.[xxvi] These steps include fueling your body with healthy foods and being physically active. You may also benefit from deep breathing, mindfulness, and meditation exercises.[xxvii]

In summary: Take action to prevent Type 2 diabetes

It can take months or years to reverse prediabetes.[xxviii] But in time, the hard work can pay off. It may help to talk to your health care provider. They can connect you with a nutrition expert, exercise specialist, or mental health counselor who can help you make the necessary changes to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

If you have prediabetes, you may be curious about how to make smarter shopping choices to manage the condition and lower your risk of developing diabetes. The Sincerely Health nutrition tools in the grocery app can help you in making informed dietary decisions..

You can start by downloading the grocery app. You’ll save $10 on groceries* for creating an account. Next, create a personalized Sincerely Health nutrition profile to receive 1,000 points.*

Your nutrition profile allows you to:

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  • Earn 10 points* for items you purchase for a maximum of 100 points per order (that’s 10 items at 10 points each).

Sign up for Sincerely Health and create a nutrition profile to help reverse prediabetes today!

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[i] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 1 in 3 Americans Have Prediabetes. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/communication-resources/1-in-3-americans.html#

[ii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prediabetes: Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention-type-2/prediabetes-prevent-type-2.html

[iii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prediabetes: Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention-type-2/prediabetes-prevent-type-2.html

[iv] Cleveland Clinic. Blood Glucose (Sugar) Test. Last reviewed November 16, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/12363-blood-glucose-test 

[v] National Library of Medicine. Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed June 19, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK592412/

[vi] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes. Last reviewed May 2018. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance

[vii] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes. Last reviewed May 2018. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance

[viii] Cleveland Clinic. Diabesity: How Obesity Is Related to Diabetes. Last reviewed November 8, 2021. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/diabesity-the-connection-between-obesity-and-diabetes

[ix] Honor Health. Understanding Excess Weight and Its Role in Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed 2011. https://www.honorhealth.com/medical-services/bariatric-weight-loss-surgery/patient-education-and-support/comorbidities-type-2-diabetes

[x] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prediabetes: Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention-type-2/prediabetes-prevent-type-2.html

[xi] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prediabetes: Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention-type-2/prediabetes-prevent-type-2.html

[xii] Cleveland Clinic. Insulin Resistance. Last reviewed December 16, 2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22206-insulin-resistance

[xiii] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes. Last reviewed May 2018. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance

[xiv] Cleveland Clinic. Insulin Resistance. Last reviewed December 16, 2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22206-insulin-resistance

[xv] Honor Health. Understanding Excess Weight and Its Role in Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed 2011. https://www.honorhealth.com/medical-services/bariatric-weight-loss-surgery/patient-education-and-support/comorbidities-type-2-diabetes

[xvi] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Diabetes Prevention Program. Last reviewed August 21, 2021. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/about-niddk/research-areas/diabetes/diabetes-prevention-program-dpp 

[xvii] American Diabetes Association. Weekly Exercise Targets. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/weekly-exercise-targets#; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prediabetes: Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention-type-2/prediabetes-prevent-type-2.html

[xviii] American Diabetes Association. Weekly Exercise Targets. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/weekly-exercise-targets#; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prediabetes: Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention-type-2/prediabetes-prevent-type-2.html

[xix] Harvard Health Publishing. Do You Need to See a Doctor Before Starting Your Exercise Program? Last reviewed August 23, 2012. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/do-you-need-to-see-a-doctor-before-starting-your-exercise-program

[xx] Cleveland Clinic. How to Reverse Prediabetes. Last reviewed September 13, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-reverse-prediabetes

[xxi] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What Counts as Physical Activity for Adults. Last reviewed December 6, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/adding-adults/what-counts.html#

[xxii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About Sleep. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). FastStats: Sleep and Adults. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-research/facts-stats/adults-sleep-facts-and-stats.html; Cleveland Clinic. How Stress and Depression Affect Diabetes. Last reviewed March 8, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/stress-and-diabetes

[xxiii] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The Impact of Poor Sleep on Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed March 17, 2021. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/diabetes-discoveries-practice/the-impact-of-poor-sleep-on-type-2-diabetes

[xxiv] Cleveland Clinic. How Stress and Depression Affect Diabetes. Last reviewed March 8, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/stress-and-diabetes

[xxv] Cleveland Clinic. How Stress and Depression Affect Diabetes. Last reviewed March 8, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/stress-and-diabetes

[xxvi] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sleep. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/sleep/; Harvard Health Publishing. 8 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep. Last reviewed November 20, 2023. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/8-secrets-to-a-good-nights-sleep; Intermountain Health. Stress Is Affecting Your Type 2 Diabetes. Last reviewed August 4, 2020. https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/stress-is-affecting-your-type-2-diabetes

[xxvii] Harvard Health Publishing. 8 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep. Last reviewed November 20, 2023. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/8-secrets-to-a-good-nights-sleep; Sleep Foundation. 20 Tips for How to Sleep Better. Last reviewed December 8, 2023. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/obesity-and-sleep

[xxviii] Cleveland Clinic. How to Reverse Prediabetes. Last reviewed September 13, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-reverse-prediabetes

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