More than 37 million Americans have diabetes according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The American Diabetes Association estimates that 8.5 million of the 37.3 million that have diabetes were undiagnosed.
American Diabetes Association Alert Day, observed every fourth Tuesday of March, on March 22 this year, is a part of a movement to create awareness about the ‘silent killer’.
“Unfortunately, many patients who are prediabetic don’t understand the importance of proper nutrition, regular exercise and weight management until they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,” explains Aspirus Health Diabetes Education Coordinator Kathryn Drexler, RN, CDCES.
Diabetes is a serious disease that can often be managed through regular physical activity, healthy eating habits, weight management, and the appropriate use of insulin and other medications to control blood sugar levels — if lifestyle modifications are not working.
If you have these risk factors, you may be at higher risk than others for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, according to the CDC:
- You are overweight.
- You are 45 years of age or older.
- Your parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes.
- You are physically active fewer than 3 times per week.
- You ever gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds.
- You ever had diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes).
“The main message I want people to take away from Diabetes Alert Day is that early detection is key to the prevention of prediabetes to diabetes,” explains Drexler. “If lifestyle changes are implemented early, the progression to diabetes can hopefully be avoided and in turn mitigate the overwhelming clinical and public health burden it continues to cause.”
Know your risk before it’s too late to prevent the onset of diabetes. Spare a minute this year on Alert Day and take the Diabetes Risk Test from the official ADA website to get your results online.
Visit the Aspirus diabetes care website to learn more about diabetes and to find an Aspirus provider in your area.