Am I Prediabetic? 7 Signs Adults Over 65 Should Watch For

In this article: 

• Prediabetes affects half of older adults, and it’s a risk factor for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. 
• Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, excessive thirst, fatigue, blurry vision, and slow-healing cuts and bruises. 
• Though you’re not likely to have prediabetes symptoms, you can still be aware of risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes. 
• Being 45 or older is a risk factor for high blood sugar, with risk increasing as you get older. About half of Medicare enrollees have blood sugar running high.
• Other risk factors include low physical activity, being overweight or obese, having a history of gestational diabetes, 
• When you know your risk, you can get tested. You may qualify for Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) if you have high blood sugar level or a high A1c indicating prediabetes. The MDPP has education, coaching, and other support for managing blood sugar and lowering the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. 
• Lark offers a virtual MDPP that you can participate in with your smartphone. It’s available 24/7 for coaching, support, encouragement, and information.

When you get a diagnosis of prediabetes or high blood sugar, it can feel overwhelming - even after you learn how powerful lifestyle changes can be in lowering risk for diabetes. The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is a Medicare health coaching program that includes a lifestyle coach for prediabetes, but how do you choose a provider?

“Am I prediabetic?” For half of adults over age 65, the answer is, “yes.” It’s natural to check for a list of prediabetes symptoms to see if you may have prediabetes, but that may not be enough. Prediabetes is a condition with high blood sugar that’s lower than in diabetes. High blood sugar symptoms may happen with diabetes, but they’re not common with prediabetes. Prediabetes usually doesn’t cause symptoms. If you’re concerned about prediabetes, it’s a good idea to check your risk factors and talk to your doctor. 

Prediabetes is a nearly silent disease - more than 8 in 10 adults with prediabetes don’t even know they have it - but you can get ahead of the game by seeing if you have risk factors. 

If you may be at risk for prediabetes, tell your doctor, and consider asking for a blood sugar or A1C test. You may qualify to join the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, which is available at no cost to eligible enrollees. Lark’s MDPP is a digital program that’s easy to begin and use. 

Classic Signs of High Blood Sugar in Diabetes

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to signs of high blood sugar, though these signs aren’t common in prediabetes. Here are some signs of high blood sugar, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any of these signs or are worried that you may have prediabetes or diabetes. 

Prediabetes Risk Factors for Adults Over 65 to Watch for

Prediabetes symptoms aren’t common, but there are ways to know if you’re at risk for blood sugar in the prediabetes or diabetes range. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists several risk factors for having prediabetes. Check with your doctor or consider asking for a blood sugar screening test if you have any of these risk factors. 

1. Age over 65

Being 65 years old or older raises your risk of prediabetes and diabetes because blood sugar naturally increases with age. Here are some natural changes in your body that happen with aging and lead to higher blood sugar levels. 

• Reduced muscle mass, which means there’s less muscle to take up sugar (glucose) from your blood to lower blood glucose (sugar) levels
• Insulin resistance, since cells in your body become less sensitive to the effects of insulin as you age
• Pancreatic aging, as the pancreas have less of a capacity to keep up with demands

Tip: You can’t stop getting older, but you can support muscle mass with muscle-strengthening exercises and plenty of protein. Ask your doctor for more information. 

2. Overweight or obesity

Extra pounds are about more than how you fit in your clothes. Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for prediabetes and for developing type 2 diabetes. 

You can use this calculator to see where you fall on the weight spectrum.

Tip: Small changes can help reduce calories to support weight loss. Examples include drinking water instead of soda, filling more of your plate with vegetables compared to grains or potatoes, and cutting dessert in half.

3. Having low physical activity levels

Being physically active is one of the most effective ways to keep blood sugar down. When you’re exercising or moving around, your working muscles are using glucose for fuel - and taking glucose from the blood. The effects of exercise last for 1-2 days, so it’s important not to go for more than a day without exercising to optimize blood sugar. A primary goal in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is to get participants up to 150 minutes per week of at least moderate-intensity physical activity. 

Tip: A 5-minute walk is a great place to start if you’re not typically physically active. It can lower blood sugar levels within minutes, and may be even more effective when you walk after a meal. 

4. Often feeling low on energy after a meal

A post-meal energy slump can be a sign of low blood sugar - and it often comes after blood sugar was excessively high. You may notice this more after high-carbohydrate meals, large meals, or fatty meals, such as a burger and fries or pizza. 

Tip: Focus on balancing your meals to reduce the post-meal blood sugar bump and dip, and the energy slump that comes with the blood sugar dip. Nutrients like fiber - like from vegetables, beans, and fruit - and protein - like from egg whites, fish, and chicken - help stabilize blood sugar and energy levels. It can also help to keep portions in check and opt for less process foods compared to fast food or highly processed meals and snacks.

5. A family history of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is largely related to lifestyle choices, but there may be a genetic, or inherited, component. If someone in your family had or has type 2 diabetes, you’re at higher risk for it.

Tip: Make diabetes prevention a family affair. Go for walks together, shop for, and cook, healthy foods together, and hold each other accountable for your regular blood sugar screenings. See if you’re eligible for Lark’s Medicare DPP or - for younger adults - non-Medicare DPP.

6. A personal history of gestational diabetes

You’re at higher risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes if you’re a woman who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during a pregnancy or if you gave birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds. It means you’re prone to have insulin resistance, which leads to high blood sugar. 

Tip: You can’t undo gestational diabetes, but you can be aware of this risk factor if you have it. Keep checking your blood sugar levels annually or as your healthcare provider suggests, and aim to maintain a healthy weight to lower your risk. 

7. High blood pressure or high cholesterol levels

Like high blood sugar and prediabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are related to overall metabolic health. They often come together. It’s best to check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels if you’re not sure what they are, and ask your healthcare provider what the results mean.

Tip: Ask your healthcare provider which lifestyle changes you might be able to make to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Being physically active, losing extra pounds, and eating a nutritious diet are typical front-line ways to support cardiometabolic health.

See If You Qualify at No Cost to You

Lark's Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program offers personal health coaching delivered right to your phone - built around the same CDC-recognized program that showed a 71% risk reduction in adults over 60. There is no cost to eligible Medicare members. 

Lark can help you stay on track with your weight and health goals as you log, track, and chat. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark MDPP or another Lark program today!

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