Are You At Risk for Diabetes?

By Lu Ann Beavers-Willis, MSN, RN, CDE

Take It, Share It, Step Out:  The American Diabetes Association Risk Test

Do you know your risk factors for diabetes? From March 25^th through April 25^th, the American Diabetes Association is asking the American public to take the diabetes risk test to find out if they at at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Americans are encouraged to share their score with their health care provider. They are also asked to start living a healthy and active lifestyle. One way to do this is to start walking now on a daily basis to prepare for joining one of the “Step Out: Walk to Stop” diabetes events being held nationwide this October.

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States. Unfortunately, 25% of them (about 7 million people) do not know they have diabetes.  One in three American adults have pre-diabetes, which is slightly increased blood sugar that puts them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Unfortunately, a diabetes diagnosis often comes 7-10 years after the onset of the disease, after many diabetes-related health complications have already started to develop.  Thus, early diagnosis is essential  to successfully treat diabetes. Successful diabetes treatment and management can prevent or delay complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, stroke, amputation of finger, toe, foot or leg.  Death can occur when diabetes complications are not recognized or treated in a timely manner.

Risk factors for diabetes include the following:

• Ethnicity  (African Americans, Hispanics,/Latinos, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders are at increased risk.)
• Age 40 years or older
• Male
• Previously diagnosed with diabetes of pregnancy called gestational diabetes
• Mother, father, sister, or brother with diabetes
• Diagnosed with high blood pressure
• Lack of physical activity
• Overweight or obese

Click on this link to take your Diabetes Risk Test today to see if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Only your doctor or nurse practitioner can tell with lab work if you have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Make an appointment today, and share your score.

The last thing to do is eat healthy, exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, and lose weight to a healthy number for your height. If you are at a healthy weight, maintain that number on the scale with healthy eating and daily exercise.

Lu Ann Beavers-Willis is the Diabetes Educator at Trinity Hospital Twin City. To schedule an in-person appointment for help in managing your diabetes, call her office at (740) 922-7450, ext. 2177.