Prediabetes
Prediabetes usually causes no symptoms at all, which is exactly why it matters: this is the stage where prevention still has the best odds of working.
Medically reviewed by the RIIMS medical team · Last updated: June 2026
Go to hospital now
- Symptoms of very high blood sugar developing quickly, such as excessive thirst, confusion, or fruity-smelling breath with vomiting, need same-day care as this may mean diabetes has already developed
See a doctor soon (not an emergency)
- A repeat test showing HbA1c or fasting sugar has moved higher since the last check
- New symptoms such as increased thirst or unexplained weight loss
What does a diagnosis of prediabetes mean?
Prediabetes means blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be called diabetes, and it typically causes no symptoms at all, which is exactly why routine screening matters. The ICMR-INDIAB national study found prediabetes in 15.3% of Indian adults. Uttar Pradesh has the lowest measured diabetes prevalence of any Indian state studied, at 4.8%, but this is not a reason for reassurance: the ratio of diabetes to prediabetes in UP is 1:2 or lower, meaning a large pool of people already have prediabetes and have simply not converted to diabetes yet. This is precisely where prevention has the most to offer. The Indian Diabetes Prevention Programme (IDPP-1), a trial conducted on Asian Indians with impaired glucose tolerance, found that over three years 55.0% of the untreated group went on to develop diabetes, compared with 39.3% of the group given a structured lifestyle programme. That is real and meaningful protection, and it is also an honest number: even in the best-performing group, roughly 4 in 10 people still went on to develop diabetes despite the lifestyle changes. Adding metformin to the lifestyle programme in the same trial added no extra benefit over lifestyle alone. Prediabetes is a genuine opportunity to change the odds, not a guarantee that diabetes can be avoided.
Symptoms to watch for
- Usually no symptoms at all
- Increased thirst, in some people
- Patches of darkened skin at the neck or armpits (acanthosis nigricans)
- Found only on a routine blood sugar or HbA1c test
- A strong family history of diabetes
- A large waist with little else noticeable
When to consult a doctor
Ask for a fasting sugar or HbA1c test if you have a family history of diabetes, a large waist, or are over 30. Prediabetes has no symptoms to wait for. If you already know you have prediabetes, a yearly re-check is the minimum, not a one-time test.