Did you know that tomorrow is American Diabetes Association Alert Day?
On March 22, I encourage you to take a quick (and anonymous) one-minute test to find out if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Plus, I hope you will share the test with everyone you care about, including family members, friends, and colleagues.
Diabetes is a serious disease. Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States live with it. More than a quarter of them—8 million—don’t even know they have it and aren’t getting the medical care they need.
It’s estimated that another 86 million people have prediabetes, which puts them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which a patient has elevated levels of blood glucose but does not yet meet the criteria for Type 2 diabetes. However, patients with prediabetes are still at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This condition is listed as a risk factor for mortality and has been labeled by some as “America’s largest healthcare epidemic”. Through lifestyle changes of improved diet and exercise, prediabetes patients can significantly decrease their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
According to 2013 data from the Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), it is estimated that 10.4 percent (921,012) of Ohio adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. In addition, it is estimated that another 7.2 percent (378,153) of Ohio adults have been diagnosed with prediabetes, increasing their risk of progressing to Type 2 diabetes later in life. (Source: 2013 Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.)
Your family health history is an important risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes. Most people who have Type 2 have a close family member with the disease.
Knowing your family health history is important because it gives you and your health care team information about your risk for type 2 diabetes.
Please make sure to mark your calendar for American Diabetes Association Alert Day on March 22 and take the type 2 Diabetes Risk Test. It will only take a minute!!!
Sources:
American Diabetes Association, http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/alert-day/?loc=atrisk-slabnav and http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/?loc=alertday
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/community-outreach-health-fairs/planning-health-fair/Documents/Pre_Diabetes_EN_SP_508.pdf
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-communication-programs/ndep/am-i-at-risk/family-history/four-questions/Pages/four-questions.aspx
Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2013)
Ohio Department of Health,
http://www.healthy.ohio.gov/diabetes/odpcp.aspx
Ohio Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, http://www.healthy.ohio.gov/~/media/HealthyOhio/ASSETS/Files/diabetes/FactSheet_2012_Final.pdf
Writer: Tammy Jones, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Pike County, jones.5640@osu.edu
Reviewer: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County, carter.413@osu.edu
Live Healthy Live Well 