Blood Sugar

More than 1 in 3 adults has prediabetes, and most don't know it. Take the 1-minute risk test.

What is blood sugar?

When you eat, your body breaks food down into sugar (called glucose) for energy. A hormone called insulin works like a key that lets sugar move from your blood into your cells.

With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use insulin well, so sugar builds up in your blood.
With type 1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin. It is usually found in kids and young adults and can’t be prevented.
Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diabetes yet. It’s a warning light.

Why it matters

Over time, high blood sugar damages blood vessels and nerves. That can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, and nerve damage in the feet.

Sugar and your heart

Many people at our booth asked how sugar affects the heart. Eating and drinking a lot of added sugar (the kind in soda, candy, and sweet tea) is linked to weight gain, high blood pressure, and higher triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. All of these make heart disease more likely. Cutting back on sugary drinks is one of the easiest ways to protect both your blood sugar and your heart.

Quick facts

About 38 million Americans have diabetes, and about 1 in 5 of them don't know it.
About 98 million U.S. adults have prediabetes. That's more than 1 in 3, and more than 8 in 10 of them don't know they have it.
Prediabetes can often be turned around with healthy changes.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common kind. It can often be prevented or delayed.
People with diabetes are about twice as likely to have heart disease or a stroke.

Know the signs

Prediabetes usually has no signs. A simple blood test is the only way to know.
Being very thirsty or needing to pee a lot, especially at night.
Feeling very hungry or very tired.
Blurry vision.
Cuts or sores that heal slowly.
Tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
Losing weight without trying.

You're at higher risk if you're 35 or older, have a family member with diabetes, are overweight, or aren't very active.

What you can do today

Take the free 1-minute prediabetes risk test from the American Diabetes Association (link below).
Trade sweet tea, soda, and energy drinks for water or unsweetened drinks.
Get moving for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Walking counts.
Choose whole grains, beans, and vegetables. They raise your blood sugar more slowly than white bread and sweets.
Ask your doctor about a blood sugar test (an A1C test) at your next visit.

When to see a doctor

Your risk test score is high, or you're 35 or older and have never been tested.
You have any of the warning signs above.
You had diabetes during a pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
You have diabetes and your numbers stay high or drop too low.

Call 911 if someone with diabetes becomes confused, can't stay awake, has a seizure, or passes out. Very low blood sugar is an emergency.

From trusted health sites

Up-to-date info about blood sugar from U.S. government health websites.

From MyHealthfinder (health.gov)

Helpful links

Hand-picked pages from trusted health organizations.

Printed from https://chshealthcare.org/topics/blood-sugar/ · Know Your Health, Clyde · Clyde High School CmPS 2026–27