On this Diabetes Awareness Day, March 26, the Minnesota Department of Health is encouraging people to find out if they’re at risk for developing prediabetes by taking the following seven-question quiz. DoIHavePrediabetes.org.
The screening is part of a national campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ad Council to raise awareness about prediabetes.
According to prediabetes CDC, which occurs when blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to receive a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. According to the Department of Health, three in four Minnesotans with prediabetes are unaware of their condition. According to the CDC, one in three adults in the United States has prediabetes. Although prediabetes is not yet diabetes, it serves as a warning sign that you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes unless you make changes to your lifestyle regarding diet and physical activity.
There are three forms of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational. According to , people with type 1 diabetes cannot produce a hormone called insulin, while cells in people with type 2 diabetes cannot produce insulin. Joslin Diabetes Center, does not respond correctly to insulin.gestational diabetes develops pregnant, However, if you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. In all cases of diabetes, the body is unable to use insulin to properly regulate blood sugar.
“Insulin acts as the key to getting energy from food, carbohydrates, and sugars into cells,” said Teresa Ambrose, manager of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Diabetes and Health Behaviors Unit. “Three out of four people don’t know they have prediabetes, and one in 10 people with diabetes don’t know they have diabetes.”
by whohaving diabetes increases your risk of “heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure,” and your health worsens over time.
Nationally, people of color are at higher risk for diabetes, and non-Hispanic whites also have diabetes. Diabetes diagnosis rate is low more than any other race or ethnicity in the United States. In Minnesota, Native Americans and African Americans are at particularly high risk of developing diabetes, Ambrose said.
Kim Mateen, a diabetes program planner for the Minnesota Department of Health, said people of Native American descent share with her that the development of diabetes feels inevitable.
“It’s not ‘Are you diabetic?’ It’s ‘Are you diabetic already?'” Mateen said. We really want to help them change that. ”
“Just 20 years ago, our diabetes rate was half what it is now. If you go back even further, it has been on the rise in recent decades,” added Ambros. “So it’s not inevitable, but it feels inevitable for some communities.”
Ambrose said the reason for disparities in diabetes lies in the social determinants of health, or the lifestyle factors that can have a huge impact on our health, such as “where we live, where we work, where we play, (and) pray.” Said it is likely related to style details.
“People don’t have access to the same things. Some communities don’t have access to healthy food, or they don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy food that’s affordable, safe, or even perceived as safe. Sometimes we don’t even have access to water,” Ambrose said.
Ambrose said that because of limited access, different communities “don’t have the same options for healthier shopping,” which “leads them more towards drinking sugary drinks. “They may be exposed to more unhealthy food advertising within their communities.” ” If your surroundings aren’t safe, “you might not want to go out or be physically active,” Ambrose said.
The good news is that you don’t have to be prediabetic to have type 2 diabetes. According to the CDC, if you’re overweight, losing about 5% to 7% of your body weight in addition to regular physical activity may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“If you’re a 200-pound person, you’re looking for 10 to 14 pounds (of weight loss),” Mateen said. “Science tells us that if we can lose it and prevent it, we can reduce our risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”
“It’s about the same as parking your car far away and walking up the stairs,” Ambrose said. “Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week, and build on it in small steps: 30 minutes, 5 times a week, 150 minutes a week, 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there. Every 10 minutes contributes to better health.”
test at DoIHavePrediabetes.orgis available in English and Spanish and is the first step in determining your risk for prediabetes based on a variety of factors, including race, height, weight/body mass index (BMI), and family history. Ambrose said people may then ask their doctor for a blood test to determine if they have prediabetes.
Mr Mateen said people who find out they have prediabetes should consider it a “wake-up call” to make lifestyle changes. However, she recognizes that making these changes is difficult and requires external support, e.g. CDC Approved Lifestyle Change Program There you can meet other people who are trying to make the same change.
“If you’re at risk for prediabetes, take a class, do something, get support, get the help you need to prevent type 2 diabetes. Because type 2 diabetes is preventable. ,” Mattine said.