Learn your risk for Type 2 diabetes

Today marks the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA’s) annual Alert Day, an opportunity to sound the alarm about the prevalence and risks of Type 2 diabetes by asking Americans to take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test. The free, anonymous risk test is available online at diabetes.org/alertday or via a printable questionnaire in English and in Spanish, and only takes a minute to complete. By answering questions such as “Do you have a family history of diabetes?” and “Are you physically active?” participants can learn if they’re at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes in just 60 seconds.

The risk test reports results as a numerical score indicating low or high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Those at a higher risk are encouraged to speak with their health care providers to learn more about how to reduce their risk or delay the onset of the disease.

“You can lower your risk for Type 2 diabetes with healthy food choices, weight loss, exercise and medication, but knowing your risk is the first step,” said Alissa Maier, American Diabetes Association. “Today we’re asking Americans to take the one-minute test to find out if they’re at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, and we hope participants will share the test with friends and family.”

An estimated 7.2 million Americans with diabetes are currently undiagnosed, with 75,000 undiagnosed in Nevada specifically. In addition, 84 million American adults have prediabetes — a condition in which blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. In Nevada, it is estimated that more than 862,000 adults have prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes. Nine out of 10 people with the condition don’t know they have it, and prediabetes almost always precedes a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. People with diabetes are at significant risk for serious complications, including kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, blindness and lower-limb amputations. However, you can prevent or delay your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes through healthy lifestyle changes.

Anyone can participate in Alert Day by taking the free Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test (in English or Spanish) at diabetes.org/alertday. If you score high on the risk test, you should follow up with your doctor and enroll in the National Diabetes Prevention Program to make the needed lifestyle changes. You can find the nearest National Diabetes Prevention Program at doihaveprediabetes.org/reverse-prediabetes.html.

Alert Day is sponsored nationally by Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness and CVS Pharmacy.

For information, call the ADA at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383), or visit diabetes.org.