According to the American Diabetes Association, when can prediabetes be diagnosed?

Prediabetes can be diagnosed based on a single fasting blood glucose reading that falls within the specified range of 100-125 mg/dL. This range indicates that glucose levels are elevated beyond normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. The American Diabetes Association has established these criteria to help identify individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, enabling earlier intervention through lifestyle modifications and monitoring.

This criterion assists healthcare professionals in identifying potential issues with glucose metabolism before they progress to diabetes, which can lead to various complications. Both the fasting blood glucose test and other diagnostic criteria, such as the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and glycated hemoglobin (A1C) levels, are essential in the overall assessment of an individual's metabolic state. However, this specific range for fasting glucose is a key marker specifically recognized for the diagnosis of prediabetes.