The American Diabetes Association estimates there are almost 24 million Americans with diabetes. Nearly 6 million are undiagnosed, and there are 1.6 million adults over the age of 20 diagnosed annually. Left uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system problems and in extreme cases, amputation.

The key to controlling diabetes is to seek treatment from a qualified provider and devise a plan for proper self-management. For many, that involves daily checks of blood glucose (blood sugar), exercise and healthy eating. But while these everyday habits are important, it’s also necessary to get a clear picture about your diabetes control over time.

We take this “snapshot” using a test called hemoglobin A1c. Sometimes referred to as HbA1c or simply A1c, this test provides physicians and patients with a picture of diabetes control over a two- to three-month period.

An A1c test is fairly simple and can be performed in the doctor’s office. It does not require that a patient fast in advance.

A1c results are given as a percentage and studies have shown that every percent drop in A1c is associated with improved outcomes. A good A1c reading will be less than 7 percent, although there is some scientific evidence that this reading may differ slightly among different races, so it’s important to discuss the results with your physician.

Research shows that therapy aimed at reducing A1c levels can decrease rates of certain complications associated with diabetes.

Aside from medications, there are three ways to improve blood glucose (and A1c readings) in type 2 diabetes.

• Dietary modification

• Exercise

• Weight reduction

In addition to improving blood glucose control for people with diabetes, these lifestyle changes are also key for diabetes prevention.

Healthy habits can slow the progression of impaired glucose tolerance, which is characterized as higher-than-normal glucose levels two hours after eating. Impaired glucose tolerance levels aren’t high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes, but are often associated with prediabetes.

The bottom line is that it’s important for you to know where you stand in order to prevent diabetes, and even more important if you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Nadia Yaqub, MD, is a UC Health endocrinologist. For an appointment with the UC Diabetes and Endocrinology Institute in West Chester, call (513) 475-7400.