Impaired glucose regulation, including diabetes and prediabetes, poses a huge global problem not only in health but also in the epidemiological and economic areas. These disorders are often detected too late or remain unrecognized. The article aims to provide a review of the prevalence, etiology, and natural history of impaired fasting glucose (IFG). We focus on the progression of isolated IFG to full-fledged type 2 diabetes and the factors conducive to the development of diabetes. The knowledge about it could help design an optimal management program for the prevention of diabetes in patients with IFG; a program that would be patient-tailored and based on the underlying pathophysiology.
Keywords: Diabetes; Impaired fasting glucose; Prediabetes; Prevention; Public health.