In brief
When blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. There are normally no symptoms.
- A fasting glucose of 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L is called impaired fasting glucose, according to Pathology Tests Explained.
- An HbA1c of 6.1 to 6.4% (43 to 47 mmol/mol) means a higher risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.
- Losing 5% to 7% of starting weight helps prevent or reverse insulin resistance and pre-diabetes, according to the US National Institutes of Health.
How it works
Pre-diabetes happens when the body's cells stop responding normally to insulin. In Australia, 2 million people have pre-diabetes, and about 1 in 10 of them develops type 2 diabetes each year. Risk factors you can change include being overweight, especially with a waist over 94 cm in men or 80 cm in women, and being inactive. Others include a family history of type 2 diabetes, PCOS, past gestational diabetes or a baby over 4.5 kg, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or Pacific Islander background, or a family background from South-East Asia, the Asian subcontinent, Arabia or North Africa.
It is found with blood tests, which are fasting or random glucose and HbA1c, then an oral glucose tolerance test. Having pre-diabetes does not mean you will get type 2 diabetes. A balanced diet, more physical activity and losing weight if you are overweight can help stop type 2 diabetes from developing.
Connections
6 connections on the map. Select a topic to read its page.
Pre-diabetes is measured by
A fasting glucose of 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L is called impaired fasting glucose, above normal but below the level for diabetes.
Sources: Pathology Tests Explained, Glucose; healthdirect Australia, Pre-diabetes
An HbA1c of 6.1 to 6.4% (43 to 47 mmol/mol) means a higher risk of developing diabetes.
Sources: Pathology Tests Explained, HbA1c; healthdirect Australia, Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes can be raised by
Being overweight, especially with a large waist, is a risk factor for pre-diabetes that can be changed.
- PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) Supported
PCOS is one of the risk factors for pre-diabetes.
Pre-diabetes can lead to
About 1 in 10 people with pre-diabetes in Australia develops type 2 diabetes each year, though lifestyle changes can help stop it.
Pre-diabetes can be caused by
Pre-diabetes happens when the body's cells stop responding normally to insulin.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Pre-diabetes; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH), Insulin resistance and prediabetes
Sources
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Summarised from healthdirect, Pathology Tests Explained and the US National Institutes of Health. Sources read on 16 and 19 October 2026. General education only, not medical advice. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the HuBu-Intel contact page.