Are You At Risk For Diabetes?

Date
Nov 18, 2022

What You Need to Know

Do you have diabetes?

 That’s a direct – and scary – question. Mainly because over 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10). Worse yet, approximately 96 million American adults (more than 1 in 3) have prediabetes, and over 80% don’t know they have it.

The more immediate question is this: are you at risk for diabetes? 

That’s an answer we can help you find. 

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. 

Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (called glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it triggers your pancreas to release insulin and lets the blood sugar into your body’s cells to use as energy.

When you have diabetes, your body can’t make enough insulin or can’t use it correctly. When there isn’t enough insulin or your body doesn’t respond to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease.

Know your risk factors

We’ve outlined the major risk factors for four types of diabetes. If you discover you may be at risk, talk to your doctor as soon as possible about proper testing.

Prediabetes

With prediabetes, your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes still puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

You may be at risk for prediabetes if you: 

  • Are overweight
  • Are 45 years or older
  • Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
  • Are physically active less than three times a week
  • Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighed over nine pounds
  • Are African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander or Asian American

Proven lifestyle changes can help you prevent or reverse prediabetes. This includes losing weight, eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity. 

Type 1 diabetes

If you have type 1 diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and causes many of the symptoms and complications of diabetes.

Risk factors for type 1 diabetes are not always clear but can include: 

  • Family history – Having a parent, brother or sister with type 1 diabetes
  • Age – You can get type 1 diabetes at any age, but it usually develops in children, teens or young adults

In the United States, White people are more likely to develop type 1 diabetes than African American and Hispanic or Latino people. Currently, there are no proven ways to prevent type 1 diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes

With type 2 diabetes, your cells don’t respond normally to insulin. This is known as insulin resistance. Your pancreas has to step up and make more insulin to get cells to respond, but it can’t keep up. This causes your blood sugar to rise, which can cause prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar can cause heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease.

You are at risk for type 2 diabetes if you: 

  • Have prediabetes
  • Are overweight
  • Are 45 years or older
  • Have a parent, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes
  • Are physically active less than three times a week
  • Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighed over nine pounds
  • Are African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander or Asian American
  • Have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Though type 2 diabetes is more common in people over age 45, more and more children, teens and young adults are also developing it.

Proven lifestyle changes can help you prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. This includes losing weight, eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity. 

Gestational diabetes

This type of diabetes can develop during pregnancy in women who don’t already have diabetes. Up 10% of pregnancies in the United States can be affected by gestational diabetes. Managing gestational diabetes will help make sure you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

You’re at risk for gestational diabetes if you: 

  • Had gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy
  • Have given birth to a baby who weighed over nine pounds
  • Are overweight
  • Are over 25 years old
  • Have a family history of type 2 diabetes.
  • Have a hormone disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  • Are African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander or Asian American

Lifestyle changes before you get pregnant may help prevent gestational diabetes, such as losing weight if you’re overweight, eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity.

Get tested

If you are concerned you may be at risk for diabetes, talk to your doctor. Knowing can start you on a healthier path to control diabetes, while prevention can keep you from ever getting it.