Currently, more than 1 in 3 American adults has prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And you may not even know you have it unless you've been tested.

Just what is it? A serious health condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes also puts you at increased risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

A national study of nearly 1.8 million hospitalizations, presented recently at the ENDO 2022 conference, found that prediabetes, which means you have a hemoglobin A1C registering between 5.7% and 6.4%, was linked to 41% greater odds of myocardial infarction in admitted patients. The study was done by Geethika Thota and colleagues of Saint Peter University Hospital/Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The good news is prediabetes doesn't have to develop into Type 2 diabetes.

Certain risk factors make you more susceptible to developing prediabetes in the first place: being 45 or older; having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes; being overweight; being physically inactive; and having high blood pressure and/or high triglycerides. Women who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy are also at increased risk of developing prediabetes.

Here are some recommendations from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes if you've been diagnosed with prediabetes:

—Eat fiber-rich foods to help slow the absorption of sugars, lower blood sugar levels and interfere with the absorption of dietary fat and cholesterol. Fiber-rich foods include fresh fruits, vegetables such as broccoli, legumes such as beans and whole grains such as whole-wheat bread.

—Eat unsaturated fats to promote healthy blood cholesterol levels and good heart health. Sources of unsaturated fats include olive oil, nuts and seeds and fatty fish such as salmon and tuna.

—Drink water instead of sugar-sweetened drinks or liven up your water with natural sweeteners like fruit.

—Eat lean protein foods, such as skinless poultry and fish, while limiting processed meats.

—Skip fad diets and make healthful food choices that you can follow in the long term. Lifestyle changes that focus on healthful eating and physical activity have been shown to prevent disease progression.

—Incorporate more physical activity into your day to control blood sugar levels. Aim for 30 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity such as brisk walking or running on most days for a total of at least 150 minutes a week. Include resistance exercises at least two to three times a week.

—If you've been diagnosed with prediabetes, you don't have to ban sweets or carbohydrates from the list of foods you eat. Desserts can be eaten if you watch your portion sizes and limit sources of added sugars.

—Plan regular, healthful, balanced meals and snacks that include whole-grain sources of carbohydrates along with lean protein foods and healthy fats to help you avoid sudden blood sugar spikes.

Q and A

Q: Is it good to eat fermented foods?

A: A study recently published in the journal Cell compared the impact on gut microbiome from dietary fiber versus fermented foods. The small trial fed participants a high-fiber diet or a diet high in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, kimchi and kombucha tea. Blood and stool samples were analyzed over a 17-week period. The diet high in fermented foods led to an increase in overall microbial diversity in the gut, and researchers saw a decrease in inflammatory markers in the group. The high-fiber diet did not change diversity of gut microbes, although it did change microbiome functions to positively impact immune responses. The best idea is to include both fermented foods and high-fiber foods for overall health and to decrease risk for diseases associated with chronic inflammation, such as arthritis, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

RECIPE

Here's a great summer recipe for those evenings when you're looking for inspiration. It's a barbecue chicken and roasted corn salad, from the cookbook "Eat to Beat Diabetes" by Better Homes and Gardens. Besides plenty of recipes, the cookbook has great tips for eating healthy with prediabetes and diabetes.

BARBECUE CHICKEN AND ROASTED CORN SALAD

Servings: 4

1 to 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

2 tablespoons bottled light ranch dressing

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 ounce queso fresco, crumbled

Place each chicken piece between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound to about 1/2-inch thick. Remove wrap. Preheat broiler. Combine chili powder, oregano, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Rub half of the mixture over chicken. Mix oil and remaining spice mixture. Stir half the oil mixture into beans. Line a 15-by-10-1 inch baking pan with foil. Place chicken on one side and corn on the other side of pan; drizzle corn with the remaining oil-spice mixture. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 F, turning chicken and stirring corn once. In a bowl, combine salad dressing, barbecue sauce and vinegar. To serve, slice chicken. Arrange romaine in a shallow serving bowl. Top with corn mixture, tomatoes, chicken and bean mixture. Sprinkle with queso fresco. Serve with dressing mixture. Serves 4. (1 3/4 cups salad; 4 ounces chicken; 1 tablespoon dressing).

Per serving: 347 calories; 33 grams protein; 31 grams carbohydrate; 11 grams fat (2 grams saturated); 80 milligrams cholesterol; 8 grams fiber; 6 grams sugar; 435 milligrams sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Illinois. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: scottwebb at Pixabay