# How to lower your risk of prediabetes

_You can lower your risk of prediabetes by taking these steps: losing a little weight and moving more can bring sugar levels back to normal, walk..._

Canonical: https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/prediabetes/prevention

Author: My Wellness Health, Editorial team · Reviewed by: the My Wellness Health clinical team on 7 Oct 2026

Last updated: 7 Oct 2026 · Published by My Wellness Health — Preventive Healthcare & Care Navigation

> You can lower your risk of prediabetes by taking these steps: losing a little weight and moving more can bring sugar levels back to normal, walk briskly for 30 minutes on most days and swap sugary drinks for water. Not every case can be prevented, which is why regular checks matter.

**Kenyan adults with prediabetes:** 3.1%
_Kenya STEPwise survey 2015._

**Prediabetes: at a glance**

| Who should get checked | How it is checked | How we help | Fee |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| An HbA1c result: 5.7% to 6.4% is the prediabetes range | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar | Diabetes risk assessment | Hypertension and diabetes assessment, KES 200 |

## How to lower your risk of prediabetes: your questions answered

**Q: How can I lower my risk of prediabetes?**

A: Losing a little weight and moving more can bring sugar levels back to normal. Walk briskly for 30 minutes on most days. Swap sugary drinks for water. Choose whole grains over refined flour more often. Recheck your sugar every year.

**Q: Can prediabetes be prevented completely?**

A: Not always. Some risk factors, such as age and family history, cannot be changed, so finding problems early through checks matters as much as healthy habits.

**Q: Which risk factors can't I change?**

A: A family history of diabetes. Age 35 or older. Diabetes in a past pregnancy.

**Q: What signs should I watch for?**

A: Signs worth checking include usually no symptoms at all; some people notice tiredness or more thirst than usual; darker, thicker skin in the neck or armpits (acanthosis nigricans) can be a clue; and it is found with a blood test, not by how you feel.

**Q: How can My Wellness Health help?**

A: Knowing your own risk factors is the first step. The diabetes risk assessment checks the factors behind prediabetes, including weight, waist, family history, activity and past sugar results, and tells you whether a fasting sugar or HbA1c test is due. It costs KES 200. A care navigator calls you back within 2 hours (Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm) to book what you need at a facility that suits your budget and location.

This page is health information to help you understand risks and next steps. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a consultation with a qualified clinician. My Wellness Health is not a diagnostic service: we help you understand your risk and connect you with the right screening and care. In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital or call 999 or 112. If you are thinking of harming yourself, call Befrienders Kenya on +254 722 178 177 or the Kenya Red Cross toll-free line 1199.

## Sources

- [My Wellness Health](https://www.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/)
- [Ministry of Health Kenya, Protocols for Management of Selected NCDs at Primary Care (2025)](https://health.go.ke/sites/default/files/2025-07/FINAL_NCD%20protocols.pdf)
- [Diabetes and prediabetes in Kenya: Kenya STEPwise survey 2015 (BMC Public Health, 2018)](https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12889-018-6053-x)

## More on this condition

- [Prediabetes: signs, risks and checks in Kenya](https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/prediabetes)
- [Prediabetes screening in Kenya: who, when and which test](https://guides.mywellnesshealth.co.ke/health/prediabetes/screening)