Diabetes Risk Blood Test: Detect Pre-Diabetes Before It Progresses

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest-growing chronic diseases in Sweden and across the developed world. According to Socialstyrelsen, approximately 500,000 Swedes are living with diagnosed diabetes, and an estimated 150,000 more have undiagnosed diabetes or pre-diabetes without knowing it. Pre-diabetes — a state where blood sugar levels are elevated above normal but not yet high enough for a diabetes diagnosis — is a critical window of opportunity.

Research consistently shows that lifestyle interventions during the pre-diabetes stage can reduce the risk of progressing to full type 2 diabetes by 50 to 60 percent. The challenge is that pre-diabetes is largely silent. Many people who come to us have diabetes in the family and know very well what it can mean.

You can have insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar for years without noticing any symptoms, while damage to your blood vessels, kidneys, and nerves has already begun. A basic fasting glucose test provides a snapshot, but a comprehensive diabetes risk panel that includes HbA1c, fasting insulin, and calculated HOMA-IR reveals far more about your metabolic health trajectory. At Wellth, our diabetes risk panels are analysed by accredited Swedish laboratories.

Key Biomarkers for Diabetes Risk Assessment

HbA1c

HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) measures your average blood sugar over the past two to three months by assessing how much glucose has attached to your red blood cells. An HbA1c below 42 mmol/mol is normal, 42 to 47 mmol/mol indicates pre-diabetes, and 48 mmol/mol or above is consistent with diabetes. Unlike fasting glucose, HbA1c is not affected by what you ate yesterday.

Fasting glucose

Fasting Glucose measures your blood sugar after an overnight fast and is the most basic diabetes screening test. Normal fasting glucose is below 6.1 mmol/L, with 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L indicating impaired fasting glucose.

Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR

Fasting Insulin is a crucial but often overlooked marker — insulin levels can rise years before glucose becomes abnormal as your pancreas works harder to keep blood sugar in check. Elevated fasting insulin is an early warning sign of insulin resistance. HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) is a calculated index using both fasting glucose and fasting insulin to quantify how insulin-resistant your cells have become.

A HOMA-IR above 2.0 suggests insulin resistance.

C-peptide

C-peptide is produced in equal amounts to insulin and provides another measure of how hard your pancreas is working.

Diabetes Risk Panel →HbA1c Test →

Signs You Should Screen for Diabetes Risk

  • Increased thirst or dry mouth that is not explained by activity or weather
  • Frequent urination, especially waking at night to urinate
  • A family history of type 2 diabetes in parents or siblings
  • Carrying excess weight, particularly around the abdomen and waist
  • Feeling unusually tired or fatigued after meals
  • Slow wound healing or frequent skin infections
  • Darkened patches of skin on the neck, armpits, or groin (acanthosis nigricans)
  • Blurred vision or difficulty focusing
  • Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
  • A history of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

What Your Results Might Show

Prediabetes

If your HbA1c falls between 42 and 47 mmol/mol, you are in the pre-diabetes range. This does not mean diabetes is inevitable — it means your body is showing early signs of impaired glucose regulation and now is the time to act.

Structured lifestyle changes including weight loss of 5 to 7 percent of body weight, 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, and dietary modifications focused on reducing refined carbohydrates can significantly reduce your progression risk.

High insulin, normal blood sugar

If your fasting insulin or HOMA-IR is elevated while your glucose and HbA1c are still normal, you have early insulin resistance — your pancreas is compensating by producing extra insulin. This is the earliest detectable stage and the most responsive to intervention.

Daily life makes a difference

Blood sugar responds quickly to changes in daily life. Even a ten-minute walk after a meal reduces the rise in glucose that follows it. Small changes show up in the results within a few months, and we like to follow that progress together with you.

Your report

Your Wellth report will clearly indicate where you fall on the metabolic health spectrum, explain what each marker means in plain language, and provide an actionable plan tailored to your specific results.

Order a Diabetes Risk Panel

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes?
Pre-diabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but below the diabetes threshold. Your HbA1c is between 42 and 47 mmol/mol, or your fasting glucose is between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/L. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when HbA1c reaches 48 mmol/mol or above, or fasting glucose is 7.0 mmol/L or above. Pre-diabetes is reversible with lifestyle changes, whereas type 2 diabetes typically requires ongoing management.
How often should I screen for diabetes risk?
If you have no risk factors and your previous results were normal, screening every three years from age 45 is generally recommended. If you have risk factors such as obesity, family history, previous gestational diabetes, or PCOS, annual screening is advisable. If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, testing every 6 to 12 months helps track your progress.
Can type 2 diabetes be reversed?
Recent research shows that type 2 diabetes can be put into remission in some individuals, particularly those diagnosed within the last six years and who achieve significant weight loss. The DiRECT trial demonstrated that nearly half of participants who lost 15 kilograms or more achieved diabetes remission. Pre-diabetes is even more responsive to intervention — lifestyle changes can reduce progression risk by 50 to 60 percent.
Why should I test insulin if my blood sugar is normal?
Your blood sugar can remain normal for years while your insulin levels climb higher and higher as your pancreas compensates for increasing insulin resistance. By the time blood sugar rises, your pancreas may already be struggling.
What is a normal HbA1c?
In Sweden, an HbA1c below 42 mmol/mol is considered normal. Values from 42 to 47 mmol/mol show a raised risk of type 2 diabetes, and 48 mmol/mol or above, confirmed by a second test, is consistent with diabetes. HbA1c reflects your average blood sugar over the past two to three months.
Can I have high blood sugar without diabetes?
Yes. Blood sugar rises temporarily with stress, illness, some medicines such as cortisone, and after meals. A fasting glucose that stays between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/L is called impaired fasting glucose and is an early warning sign worth acting on.
Is type 2 diabetes hereditary?
Heredity plays a large part. Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes clearly increases your own risk. How you live still has a strong effect on whether, and when, diabetes develops.
NW

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Wellth Team

Wellth

Our content is written and reviewed by Wellth, and fact-checked against peer-reviewed research and current Swedish clinical guidelines.

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Important to know

Wellth does not diagnose or treat disease. We work with diet, lifestyle and preventive health, alongside the care you already have.

Our reports and sessions do not replace medical advice, and a test result should not be read as a diagnosis. We use both standard healthcare reference ranges and optimal ranges. A value can therefore be normal by healthcare standards and still fall outside the range associated with good health. That does not mean disease, but it can be a chance to act early.

Supplements are only recommended by a nutritional therapist as part of a consultation, never automatically from a test result.

If anything in your results needs to be looked at by a doctor, we will tell you clearly. Contact your healthcare provider if you are worried about your health. Call 1177 for advice, or 112 in an emergency.