The World Health Organization estimates that around 830 million adults live with diabetes, and many of them have not been diagnosed. Type 2 diabetes develops slowly, so the early signs are easy to blame on stress, age or a busy life. Catching it early can prevent blindness, kidney failure, amputations and heart attacks.
Caught early, type 2 diabetes can often be controlled with lifestyle changes, and sometimes put into remission. Caught late, it can cost people their sight, kidneys or feet. Which story is yours depends on spotting the signs.
10 early signs
- Feeling very thirsty
- Passing urine more often, especially at night
- Feeling tired all the time
- Blurred vision
- Cuts and wounds that heal slowly
- Frequent infections, such as thrush, skin or urine infections
- Losing weight without trying
- Tingling, numbness or burning in the hands or feet
- Increased hunger
- Dark, velvety patches of skin on the neck or armpits (acanthosis nigricans), a sign of insulin resistance
Many people have no symptoms at all. If you are at risk, get tested even if you feel well.
The tests that confirm it
| Test | Diabetes | Prediabetes (higher risk) |
|---|---|---|
| HbA1c (average blood sugar over 2–3 months) | 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) or above | 42–47 mmol/mol (6.0–6.4%) in UK guidance; 5.7–6.4% in US guidance |
| Fasting blood glucose | 7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) or above | 6.1–6.9 mmol/L (WHO) or 5.6–6.9 mmol/L (100–125 mg/dL, US) |
| Random glucose with symptoms | 11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL) or above | — |
Who is at risk?
- Overweight, especially around the waist
- Aged over 40 (or over 25 in some ethnic groups)
- A parent or sibling with diabetes
- South Asian, African, African-Caribbean, Middle Eastern or Hispanic heritage
- High blood pressure
- Previous gestational diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome
- Inactive lifestyle
Prediabetes: your window to act
Prediabetes means blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet diabetes. Large studies have shown that losing a modest amount of weight and being active for about 150 minutes a week can cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than half.
“But diabetes runs in my family, so there is nothing I can do.”
Family history raises your risk, but it is not destiny. Large studies show that modest weight loss and regular activity can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by more than half.
Your next step: book an HbA1c blood test if you are over 40 or have any risk factor, even if you feel well.
Related: Diabetes diet and meal plan · Metformin explained
Sources: World Health Organization diabetes fact sheet; NICE guidance on type 2 diabetes and prediabetes; American Diabetes Association Standards of Care 2026; Diabetes Prevention Program research.
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