Today is Diabetes Alert Day. This is an effort by the American Diabetes Association to alert those who are at risk for diabetes. The ADA has a simple tool to see if you are at risk. The following are risk factors for type 2 diabetes:
- male
- history of gestational diabetes (or having had a large baby)
- family history (mom, dad, or sibling with diabetes)
- race/ethnicity (Native American, Native Alaskan, African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander)
- High blood pressure
- Age (over 40 years)
- Inactive lifestyle
- High BMI (body mass index is a measure of height and weight)
There are ways to decrease one’s risk for type 2 diabetes and/or slow the development of it, and awareness is the first step. I strongly encourage people to fill out the ADA’s “diabetes risk test.” And be sure to encourage others to do the same!