What's the difference between prediabetes and full type 2 diabetes in terms of diagnosis?

They're diagnosed using the same tests (A1C or fasting glucose) but with different cutoff ranges. Prediabetes means blood sugar is higher than normal but hasn't crossed into the diabetes range yet, it's considered a warning sign, not a diagnosis of diabetes itself. Left unaddressed, a significant portion of people with prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within several years, which is why it's taken seriously even though it's not diabetes yet. References: https://obesitycanada.ca/healthcare-professionals/adult-clinical-practice-guideline/ https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/GuideLines/media/Docs/Quick%20Reference%20Guide/2024-CPG-Quick-Reference-Guide.pdf