Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT)

What is Impaired Glucose Tolerance?

This is a condition in which the body is unable to process glucose (sugar) normally. It can only be diagnosed after a Glucose Tolerance Test. The condition is associated with a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. People with Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) also have a higher than average chance of going on to develop diabetes.

What to do if you have Impaired Glucose Tolerance

If you have IGT you will be advised to follow a healthy diet, to keep your weight under control, to take regular exercise and if you are a smoker, to stop smoking. Ideally you should also have a blood test every year to measure your fasting blood glucose (sugar), to make sure that you have not developed diabetes. Ask your GP or Practice Nurse to arrange for you to have this done.

Your food choice is the most important part of your treatment. If you are overweight, losing weight will help. You should aim to lose weight slowly over time rather than drastic dieting. Even if you don't manage to get to your ideal weight, losing a small amount and keeping it off will help you.

Try being more active too as this will not only help control your weight but will also reduce risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Do some activities you enjoy such as gardening, walking, dancing, bowling - even housework is good!

Eat regularly

• Have three main meals a day, i.e. breakfast, lunch and evening meal.

Fill up on fibre rich and starchy (carbohydrate)foods

• Eat regular meals based on foods such as bread, pasta, chapattis, potatoes, rice and cereals. This will help control your blood glucose levels. Choose high fibre varieties of these foods like wholemeal bread and wholewheat cereals.
• Make these foods the main part of every meal.
• Add lentils, beans, split peas or broth mix to home-made soups or stews.

Eat less sugar

• Sugar and foods containing a lot of sugar can cause the blood glucose to rise quickly.
• It is best to choose low sugar or sugar-freefoods instead.  

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

All fruit is good including bananas and small quantities of grapes or dried fruit.

• Eat fruit for a snack instead of biscuits.
• Aim to eat two or three servings of fruit each day
  Buy fresh fruit or fruit tinned in natural juice
• Try to eat at least two or three servings of vegetables and/or salad every day.
  Use fresh, frozen or tinned vegetables. Baked beans and peas are also useful vegetables.

Limit fried and fatty foods

• Eat less butter, margarine, oil, lard, dripping, cheese and fatty meals.
• If you must use oil in cooking, measure it out carefully and choose “unsaturated” oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil or rapeseed oil.
• Choose low-fat dairy products, e.g. skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, low-fat spreads or cheeses instead of the full-fat versions.
• Remember that low-fat products still contain a lot of fat, so don`t be tempted to use twice as much! Some low fat products may have a high sugar content.
• Grill. Poach, boil, microwave or oven-bake food instead of frying.
• Cut fat off meat, take skin off chicken and have smaller helpings of meat, fish, eggs and cheese.
• Watch out for hidden fat – eat fewer pies, sausage rolls, cakes, crisps and biscuits.

Limit salt

Reducing the amount of salt eaten can help reduce blood pressure.

• Use as little salt as possible in cooking. Try not to add more salt to your meal at the table - taste first.
• Try cutting down on salt gradually to help you adjust to the taste change. Adding herbs and spices instead can help.
• Cut down on processed foods such as tinned/packet foods, salty meats, crisps and salted nuts.

Alcohol

Drink alcohol in moderation only - that's two units of alcohol a day for a woman and three units a day for a man.
Never drink on an empty stomach and never drink and drive.

If your day-to-day eating is healthy, the occasional celebration meal will do no harm. If you are going to have something sugary, it is best to have it just after a high-fibre meal.