Diabetes Alert Day promotes taking risk test

What is Diabetes Alert Day?
American Diabetes Association Alert Day is held every fourth Tuesday in March. It is a one-day campaign to challenge the community to take the Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they have a potential for developing Type 2 diabetes.  

How common is diabetes?
Nearly 26 million children and adults in the U.S. do not even know they have it. An additional 79 million, or one in three Americans adults, have pre-diabetes, which puts them at high risk for developing diabetes.  Recent estimates project that as many as one in three American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take the steps to stop diabetes.

What factors will increase the risk of diabetes?
Family history, autoimmune disease, genetics, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet habits can cause diabetes. Also, race/ethnicity plays a factor, such as being African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islanders.

What are the common sign and symptoms of diabetes?
Increased thirst and urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, unusual weight loss, tingling or loss of feeling in hands and feet. Early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications, such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, amputation and death.

How is diabetes prevented?
Studies have shown that Type 2 diabetes can often be prevented or delayed by losing just 7 percent of body weight (such as 15 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds) through regular physical activity (30 minutes a day, five days a week) and healthy eating. By understanding your risk, you can take the necessary steps to help prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes

Where can I get more information and references?
• The American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/programs/alert-day/

• 86th Medical Group Medical Management and Disease Manager, 479-2022 or 06371-46-2022

• AFMS 86th Medical Group on Facebook.
(Contributed by Capt. Joaquina Fontes-Lopes, 86th Medical Group disease manager)