Diabetes is a potentially devastating disease that affects more than 18 million Americans and kills 210,000 annually. It is the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States, and more than 1 million people develop it each year.
KNOW IF YOU ARE AT RISK
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye damage and nerve damage, which could lead to amputations. These complications can be delayed or even avoided entirely with early diabetes diagnosis and treatment. It is important that people with diabetes find out that they have it as early as possible, and then work with their health care providers to take control before these devastating complications occur.
Unfortunately, people with type 2 diabetes can have it for years without knowing it. While people with diabetes may have some noticeable symptoms, such as frequent urination, blurred vision and a lot of thirst, most people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes do not show these warning signs early on, when diabetes is first developing in their bodies. What usually happens is that people only find out that they have diabetes when they begin to notice the signs mentioned above.
There are approximately 41 million Americans with pre-diabetes. That means their blood glucose is higher than it should be, but not high enough for them to be diagnosed with diabetes. Pre-diabetes puts people at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life. But the good news is that when someone has pre-diabetes, it does not necessarily mean they will get diabetes. Making basic lifestyle changes, such as eating right, being physically active and losing even a little bit of weight, can help to prevent or delay the development of diabetes. The first step is to find out if you could be at risk. That’s why the American Diabetes Association is making such an effort to educate people about diabetes risk factors and warning signs.
AMONG THE MAIN RISK FACTORS FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES ARE:
- being overweight
- living a non-active lifestyle
- being over the age of 45
- having a family history of diabetes
African-Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are at an increased risk, as are women who have had babies weighing more than 9 pounds at birth. To help people better recognize their own risk for type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association provides a simple, seven-question Diabetes Risk Test. The Risk Test is available in brochure form by calling the American Diabetes Association toll-free at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or online by visiting the Association’s Web site at www.diabetes.org/risk-test. The test is available in English and Spanish. Take the test today to find out if you could be at risk for diabetes. If you score high, talk to your health care provider during your next visit.
