Are you at risk?
While there is no single cause of type-2 diabetes, there are many well-established risk factors. Some of them can be controlled while others you are born with.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has estimated that globally 425 million people are living with diabetes and out of which 47% of individuals are unaware of their disease. Most of these cases are type-2 diabetes.
There are many free risk assessment tools available online which can be used to identify and reduce the risks of diabetes. I have chosen the American Diabetes Association tool to determine the risk of having type-2 diabetes. This tool is a very simple and easy way to assess your risk or developing type-2 diabetes.
How can you check your risk?
In order to check your diabetes risk, answer these simple questions and count your score. If your score is 5 or higher, it means you are at increased risk for having type-2 diabetes. However, only your doctor can tell for sure if you have type-2 diabetes or prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition that precedes type-2 diabetes in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal. It is highly advisable to consult your doctor to see if additional testing is required to find out the status of your diabetes.
What is your age? You are at a higher risk for type-2 diabetes the older you are.
- Less than 40 years (0 points)
- 40 – 49 years (1 point)
- 50 – 59 years (2 points)
- 60 years or older (3 points)
Are you a man or a woman? Men are more likely than women to have undiagnosed diabetes; one reason may be that they are less likely to see their doctor regularly.
- Man (1 point)
- Woman (0 points)
If you are a woman, have you ever been diagnosed with gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. It goes away after pregnancy, but women who have gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
- Yes (1 point)
- No (0 points)
Do you have a mother, father, sister or brother with diabetes? A family history of diabetes could contribute to your risk for type-2 diabetes.
- Yes (1 point)
- No (0 points)
Have you ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure? Having high blood pressure contributes to your overall risk for type-2 diabetes.
- Yes (1 point)
- No (0 points)
Are you physically active? Being inactive can increase your risk for type-2 diabetes.
- Yes (0 points)
- No (1 point)
What are your height and weight? The combination of your height and weight calculates your Body Mass Index or BMI. People with higher BMI are at greater risk for type-2 diabetes.
Your height is ______. Your weight is ______. Your add-up score is ______.