Blood sugar, lipids and fatty liver
These three problems usually cause no symptoms and often turn up together in a check-up. This page explains what each number shows, why they are linked, and what lifestyle changes can do.
Why are these three together?
Being overweight, especially around the waist, little activity and an unhealthy diet play a part in all three. People with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol are more likely to have fatty liver. So a doctor reads these numbers together. None of them usually causes pain or symptoms, and they are found only by testing.
Blood sugar
Fasting glucose measures your sugar at that moment. HbA1c shows your average sugar over the past three months, as a percentage:
| HbA1c | General meaning |
|---|---|
| Below 5.7% | Normal |
| 5.7 to 6.4% | Prediabetes |
| From about 6.5% upward | Type 2 diabetes |
Your doctor makes the diagnosis from one or more tests and your situation. Sugar targets also differ from person to person.
Most people with prediabetes do not know they have it, because it usually has no symptoms. Its risk is not only diabetes; it also raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. The good news is that lifestyle changes at this stage may delay or prevent diabetes.
In type 2 diabetes the body does not make enough insulin, or its insulin does not work properly. High sugar over a long time can damage the heart, kidneys and nerves and raise the risk of stroke.
Blood lipids
Too much cholesterol can block blood vessels and raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. It usually has no symptoms, and only a blood test shows it.
The right target is not the same for everyone. Your doctor weighs your cholesterol with your age, blood pressure, other conditions and overall cardiovascular risk. Family history matters too, because high cholesterol can run in families.
Fatty liver
In fatty liver, fat builds up in the liver. It usually has no symptoms and is found when you have blood tests or an ultrasound for another reason. Sometimes there is tiredness or discomfort under the ribs on the right.
The disease has four stages: build-up of fat, inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis. Most people stay at the first stage. With blood tests and sometimes an ultrasound, your doctor rules out other causes and checks for liver damage. Be honest about alcohol too, because the diagnosis depends on it.
What helps?
- A healthy, balanced diet
- At least 150 minutes of exercise a week
- Losing weight if you are overweight
- Stopping smoking and avoiding alcohol
These changes can reduce the fat in the liver and lower the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Some people need medicine as well. That decision is your doctor’s.
The doctor's own plan for following up sugar, lipids and fatty liver, and referral to a dietitian, will be added once confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Does prediabetes mean I will get diabetes?
Not necessarily. Prediabetes raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle changes may delay or prevent it.
Do I need to fast for a cholesterol test?
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Ask the doctor who requested the test.
Is fatty liver dangerous?
Most people stay at the first stage and have no problems. In a small number, it goes on to inflammation and liver damage. That is why follow-up matters.
The first step, a calm conversation.
Go to the booking page or talk to support. Have your earlier results and your medicine list ready.