Drew Carey's health transformation began when he received pre-diabetes and then Type 2 diabetes diagnoses. Rather than accept a trajectory toward escalating medication and complications, Carey made radical changes to his diet and exercise habits.
He lost over 80 pounds by cutting out refined carbohydrates and processed foods, and increased physical activity. The result: his blood sugar normalized, his pre-diabetes reversed, and his doctors removed him from diabetes medication entirely.
Pre-diabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. It affects 96 million American adults — and 8 in 10 don't know they have it. The CDC's Diabetes Prevention Program research has shown that lifestyle interventions (modest weight loss + increased physical activity) can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 58%.
Carey's story is one of the most prominent examples of pre-diabetes reversal by a public figure, and it demonstrates that an early diagnosis doesn't have to lead inevitably to Type 2.