Prior to losing 42 pounds through her commitment to a healthier lifestyle and WW (formerly Weight Watchers), Oprah Winfrey was living with prediabetes, she has revealed.
Prediabetes — a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis — increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and affects an estimated 84 million people in the United States, about 90% of whom don’t know they have it. In a letter she shared with People, Oprah, 65, divulged that she was diagnosed with the condition: “I haven’t shared with many, but I will share with you, that I was diagnosed with prediabetes before WW.” Her mother Vernita, she says, had type 2 diabetes and was taking insulin.
Fortunately, there are steps that can help reduce the chances of prediabetes developing into type 2, including increasing physical activity, eating a healthful diet and losing weight. As a result of adopting a healthier lifestyle, Oprah says that her blood pressure “is now stabilized and in a healthy range,” and her blood sugar “numbers are back to normal too.”
Want to learn more about prediabetes? Read “Prediabetes: What to Know” and “Stopping Prediabetes In Its Tracks.”
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Diane Fennell
Senior Digital Editor for DiabetesSelfManagement.com, Fennell has 16 years’ experience specializing in diabetes and related health conditions. Based in New York City, she has a degree from Columbia University.