More than 14 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes and almost seven million more have diabetes but don't realize it, according to the CDC. Yet diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
The questions in this assessment ask about risk factors—conditions that may put you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that the more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop diabetes.
What causes diabetes? Scientists aren't sure, but heredity, obesity, lack of exercise and other factors play a part.
Understanding how food affects blood glucose is the first step in managing diabetes. And following a diabetes meal plan can help keep you on track.
Ignoring your symptoms can end up costing more in the long run because many conditions are more quickly and easily treated if diagnosed in their early stages.
A person with type 2 diabetes either can't make enough insulin or can't properly use it.
Although people with pre-diabetes haven’t yet developed full-blown diabetes, they’re still at risk because studies show that many people with pre-diabetes develop the condition within 10 years.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that greatly raises your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Having pre-diabetes means that you are likely to develop full-blown diabetes within 10 years. But lifestyle changes can prevent that from happening.
If you're older than 45, you should be tested for diabetes. If you are younger, you should be tested if you are at high risk.
In adults, a screening blood sugar test is generally used to determine if your blood sugar is too high. For adults, having an elevated blood sugar usually will not give you symptoms and may indicate a pending or current problem with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes can be especially deadly for women. Of the nearly 16 million Americans with diabetes, more than half are female.
"If you do have diabetes, educate yourself and start managing your illness," Ms. LaBelle says.
Metabolic syndrome is marked by higher levels of glucose in the blood. That's also a sign of pre-diabetes.
Secondhand smoke poses a risk not only for lung disease, but also for diabetes, according to a 2006 study in the British Medical Journal. After following smokers and nonsmokers for 15 years, researchers found that 17 percent of people regularly exposed to secondhand smoke developed glucose intolerance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Twenty-two percent of smokers also developed glucose intolerance, but only 12 percent of nonsmokers who weren't exposed to secondhand smoke.