Ever wondered what’s going on inside your body when it comes to blood sugar and diabetes risk? If you haven’t, think about this:

• An estimated 97.6 million adults in the U.S. have prediabetes
• About 38.4 million have type 2 diabetes
• Left unchecked, diabetes can lead to poor circulation, kidney failure, heart disease, blindness, stroke, amputations, and early death

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Your body is constantly sending signals about your health that can help you prevent and manage diabetes. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Blood Sugar (Glucose)

Your blood sugar (glucose) level tells you how well your body is managing sugar from food. There are two main ways to measure it:

Fasting blood glucose

This is a snapshot of your blood sugar after not eating for at least eight hours.

Most wellness programs use this type of blood test to measure blood sugar levels with a finger-prick test or simple blood draw.

When you get your fasting blood glucose results, here’s what to look for:

• Normal: Below 100 mg/dL
• Prediabetes: Between 100 and 125 mg/dL
• Diabetes: 126 mg/dL or above

A1C test

If your doctor thinks you might have prediabetes, or you already have diabetes, your doctor will likely recommend an A1C test. This test measures blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months.

When you get your A1C test results, here’s what to look for:

• Normal: A1C below 5.7%
• Prediabetes: A1C between 5.7% and 6.4%
• Diabetes: A1C is 6.5% or higher

Why it matters: How’s your blood sugar? There’s really only one way to know if you’re at risk for diabetes: Get tested. If your blood sugar is high, making lifestyle changes (food, exercise, weight, sleep), can make a difference.

2. Waist Circumference

What’s your waist size? Forget the scale for a minute. If you were going to tailor a suit or dress, you’d need to know your waist size to get the right fit.

Here’s the thing: Your waist size can also tell you a lot about your health.

Your waist size is normal if it’s:

• 35 inches or less for women
• 40 inches or less for men

If your waist size is bigger than this, it’s an indicator you may have excess belly fat.

Excess belly fat increases the risk for insulin resistance linked to type 2 diabetes. It is also a risk factor for heart disease and other chronic diseases.

Why it matters: Fat around the belly isn’t just sitting there. It’s active, releasing hormones that can mess with your blood sugar, metabolism, and the brain’s ability to recognize when you’re full.

• If your waist size puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes, you can take steps to reduce it by making positive lifestyle changes, being more active, and eating healthier foods.

3. Blood Pressure

• High blood pressure can increase the risk for developing type 2 diabetes?

How? Here’s what happens when you have high blood pressure and your heart has to work harder than normal:

High blood pressure increases:

• Insulin resistance, making it harder for your body to process glucose
• Inflammation that can damage blood vessels and increase insulin resistance
• Metabolic syndrome which includes abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, and high blood sugar levels.

Why it matters: One recent study found that for every 20-point increase in blood pressure, the risk for type 2 diabetes goes up by 77%.

• If your blood pressure is high, you can take steps to lower it and your risk for type 2 diabetes.

4. Cholesterol

How’s your cholesterol? Chances are pretty good you’ve heard the question before. But what does it really mean? And what does cholesterol have to do with type 2 diabetes?

There’s three types of cholesterol. Total cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol. A simple blood test can measure all three types of cholesterol. And it’s HDL and LDL cholesterol that can impact blood sugar levels and type 2 diabetes risk:

LDL (bad) cholesterol

• Clogs up arteries and raises heart disease risk. Higher levels of LDL cholesterol also interfere with the body’s ability to control blood sugar.
• An optimal LDL cholesterol level is: 100-129 mg/dL or less.

HDL (good) cholesterol

• Helps clear LDL out, keeping your blood flowing smoothly.
• Low levels of HDL cholesterol limit glucose metabolism and increase insulin resistance.
• A good HDL cholesterol level is 60 mg/dL or higher.

Why it matters: People with diabetes often have lower HDL and higher LDL, increasing the risk of diabetes.

• If you need to make some changes, swapping fried foods for healthier fats like nuts, avocado, and olive oil, and eating more whole grains and fiber-rich foods can help improve HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol.

5. Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood. If you have elevated levels of triglycerides, you may be at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Triglycerides don’t cause diabetes. However, higher levels of triglycerides may mean your body is having trouble turning food into energy. The result: Higher blood sugar levels. And that can lead to insulin resistance.

Triglycerides are measured the same way as cholesterol and blood sugar…with a finger prick test or simple blood draw. Here’s what the results mean:

• Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
• Borderline high: Between 150 – 199 mg/dL
• High: 200 mg/dL or higher

Why it matters: People with high triglyceride levels are 54% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with normal triglyceride levels.

• Effective ways to lower triglyceride levels include: losing weight, eating more fresh and whole foods, eating less fried, processed and high-fat foods, being active at least 30 minutes a day.

6. Body weight

Did you know being overweight or obese increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 53%?

Step on the scale. If you are overweight or obese, chances are pretty good you already know you could benefit from losing a few pounds.

But instead of thinking about losing 50-plus pounds, break it down into something smaller, like losing 1-2 pounds a week. Even small weight loss (5-10% of your body weight) can improve blood sugar control.

Why it matters: Being overweight or obese is one of the primary risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes. Excess body fat interferes with the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin.

• If you are overweight or obese, take steps to lose weight by making better food choices, being more active, getting adequate sleep and managing stress in healthy ways..

Know Your Numbers to Prevent or Manage Type 2 Diabetes.

If you want to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes, know your numbers.

These six metrics can help you identify your risks for type 2 diabetes, and help you take action if you need to. The more you know, the more you can make small but powerful changes to support your health and prevent diabetes.