Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition that involves high glucose (blood sugar) levels. It’s estimated that 12% of Americans have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. In other words, over 40 million people may struggle with this condition, while another 115 million American adults may have prediabetes — that is, high blood sugar levels that haven’t yet passed the diabetes threshold.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and the focus in 2026 is on prevention. Let’s look at ways to manage risks for type 2 diabetes, in particular, and early warning signs to watch out for.

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention: Understanding the Risks

There are multiple kinds of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes means your body struggles to make any insulin.

• Type 2 diabetes indicates that your cells struggle to absorb enough glucose from your blood.

• Gestational diabetes can develop during pregnancy when the body can’t make enough extra insulin. 

Of these, type 2 diabetes is the most common and the most impacted by lifestyle. For instance, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are overweight or don’t exercise regularly. If you’re older (starting at 35 years old), that also increases your risk, as does having specific health conditions, like high blood pressure, PCOS, or being prediabetic.

Pregnancy is also a risk factor. Simply having had gestational diabetes means you're more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. If you give birth to a larger baby (over 9 pounds), your risk factors also go up. Risk levels can also vary by ethnic background. Medline reports that you are at higher risk if you are:

• African American

• American Indian

• Asian American

• Hispanic/Latino

• Pacific Islander

While you can develop diabetes at any age, simply understanding the risk factors is an important first step. When you are at higher risk, it’s important to take steps to manage your lifestyle before diabetes becomes a problem.

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention: Managing Lifestyle Risk Factors

If you’re at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, taking steps to manage things early can give you the best chance to avoid developing the condition in the first place. There are simple ways to do this, such as:

• Getting into a healthy weight range. If weight is a concern, NIDDK recommends losing 5-7% of your weight. The health site has a calculator you can use to help set your target diabetes prevention weight goal.

• Making regular movement a routine. Start slow and work toward a goal of at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week. 

• Cleaning up your diet. You can still include the sweet stuff in moderation, but start replacing or reducing things like sugary drinks and sweets with cleaner options. 

  
  

Detecting Diabetes Early: What Are the Signs and What Should You Do?

If you suspect that you may be at risk of developing diabetes, look for these symptoms:

• Losing weight without trying

• Having sores that don’t heal

• Tingling or numbness in feet or hands

These more obvious signs are often accompanied by smaller indicators, such as being excessively hungry and thirsty, urinating often, having blurry vision, or feeling fatigued and exhausted.

Many of these symptoms don’t appear until the condition has already developed significantly. Left unchecked, it can lead to a variety of serious issues, including retinopathy (damaged blood vessels in the eyes), ketoacidosis (accumulated ketones in the bloodstream), and damaged nerves in the feet and hands.

That’s why, in addition to taking personal preventative steps, it’s important to build a diabetes management team you can trust. If you have diabetes or are at high risk for developing diabetes, don’t navigate the situation alone. Work with a trusted primary care provider, diabetes specialist, and other medical professionals to help you assess risks, monitor prediabetes, or manage diabetes. 

Diabetes can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be debilitating. Use awareness and risk management to mitigate risks and minimize symptoms to give yourself the best chance of living a healthy and fulfilling life for years to come.