Are You At Risk?

What is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a health condition that arises when blood sugar levels exceed the normal range, yet they do not reach the threshold for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. If left unaddressed, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes. However, the encouraging news is that prediabetes can be reversed through minor adjustments to one's lifestyle, such as incorporating daily walks or increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables. To embark on this journey and gain knowledge on reversing prediabetes, sign up for our Diabetes Prevention Lifestyle Change Program.

 How do you reduce your risk for diabetes?

 Our Lifestyle Change program mirrors the lifestyle advocated by the National DPP. It is a comprehensive program spanning one year, during which participants acquire knowledge about balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, and effective stress management. The National DPP, established by the CDC, has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes development by over 50% for participants. Our program will help prevent progress from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes. 

References:

Albright A, Gregg EW. Preventing type 2 diabetes in communities across the US: the National Diabetes Prevention Program. Am J Prev Med 2013;44(4):S346-S351. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4539613/

Boyle JP, Thompson TJ, Gregg EW, Barker LE, Williamson DF. (2010). Projection of the year 2050 burden of diabetes in the US adult population: dynamic modeling of incidence, mortality, and prediabetes prevalence. Population Health Metrics. Available from http://www.pophealthmetrics.com/content/8/1/29.

Knowler WC, Barrett-Conner E, Fowler SE, et al.; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med 2002;346:393–403. Available from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa012512#t=articleTop.

American Diabetes Association. Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2017. Diabetes Care 2018;41(5):917-928. Available from http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/41/5/917

How Your Test is Scored

Points for each risk factor below were added up to calculate your score. For example, if you answered yes to the question “Do you have a mother, father, sister, or brother with diabetes?” you scored 1 point for Family History. If you answered no to the question “Have you ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure?” you scored 0 points for High Blood Pressure, and so on for all the risk factors. A total of 5 points or higher is considered high risk for having prediabetes.

Yes: 1 point

No: 0 points

There’s a link between family history and type 2 diabetes, but not only because family members are related. Sometimes they share certain habits that can increase their risk.

Yes: 1 point

No: 0 points

High blood pressure raises your risk for type 2 diabetes. It can also increase your risk for heart disease, eye problems, and kidney disease or make them worse.

Less than 40 years: 0 points

40–49 years: 1 point

50–59 years: 2 points

60 years or older: 3 points

The older you are, the higher your risk for type 2 diabetes. Risk starts to increase at around age 45 and increases sharply after age 65.

African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Asian Americans are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes at lower weights than other ethnicities.

Yes: 0 points

No: 1 point

Being inactive is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. One reason is that your body can’t use insulin as well when you don’t get regular physical activity. Insulin helps keep blood sugar levels from getting too high.

Man: 1 point

Woman: 0 points

Woman who has had gestational diabetes: 1 point

More men than women have undiagnosed diabetes, possibly because men are less likely to see their doctor regularly. Gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant) goes away after the baby is born, but increases a woman’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

< 25 (< 23 if Asian): 0 points

25–29 (23–29 if Asian): 1 point

30–39: 2 points

40+: 3 points

Body mass index or BMI is a measure of height compared to weight. For example, a person who is 5’3” and weighs 120 pounds has a BMI of 21 and is in the normal range:

Weight status: BMI

Normal - 18.5-24.9

Overweight - 25-29.9

Obese - 30 or greater

People with higher BMIs have a higher risk for type 2 diabetes.

As adapted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)