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Every year, the fourth Tuesday of March is Diabetes Alert Day. This day is meant to be a “wake up call” and provide awareness to those who may be suffering from undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. This year, we are helping to bring awareness by explaining your risk of diabetes, and learning ways of prevention.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, affecting almost as many people as Alzheimer’s Disease. In fact, around 10.5 percent of all American adults between the ages of 18 and 65 live with some form of the disease at any given time. Those numbers almost triple to over 25% after age 65.
Approximately 1 in 3 adult Americans over 18 is prediabetic at any time, too. This statistic is especially concerning because prediabetes can lead to Type 2 diabetes without treatment – but it can also be reversed if patients take the right steps.
It would be easy to assume that, because diabetes is so common, it is almost always quickly diagnosed. Unfortunately, the reality is much different. The CDC believes that around 7% of all diabetes patients go undiagnosed for years or are never even diagnosed at all – at least not until they suffer serious health consequences.
The rising need for diabetes testing and disease management has led to a number of awareness campaigns, including Diabetes Alert Day. In honor of this important event, we want to tell you what this day signifies and how you can stay well.
What Is Diabetes Alert Day?
Diabetes Alert Day is an American Diabetes Association (ADA) led event that takes place on the fourth Tuesday of March every single year. For 2020, it falls on March 26th. The campaign’s main goal is to raise awareness about undiagnosed diabetes and educate patients on how they can get tested for conditions like prediabetes.
The most important element of Diabetes Alert Day is the Risk Test. This questionnaire asks Americans seven questions to help them define whether or not they might be at risk for a diabetes diagnosis. A high score indicates that patients should schedule an immediate consultation with a medical professional.
The test also explains the significance of each answer and question and shows the user why it is included. This can be very helpful for people who might not otherwise understand medical jargon or technical information.
ADA Risk Test
While it is best to take the quiz directly from the ADA website, we will also provide you with an overview of the Q&A below. Please note that this is an extremely limited version by comparison – talk to your pharmacist if you have questions.
Feel free to print this test out and take it on paper if that’s easier for you. This may also be ideal for older relatives who do not have access to a computer.
How Old Are You?
- Less than 40 Years
- 40 to 49 Years
- 50 to 59 Years
- 60 Years and Older
What Is Your Gender?
- Woman
- Man
Do You Have a Mother, Father, Sister or Brother With Diabetes?
- Yes
- No
Have You Ever Been Diagnosed With High Blood Pressure?
- Yes
- No
Are You Physically Active?
- Yes
- No
What Race or Ethnicity Best Describes You?
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic/Latino
- Black/African American
- American Indian/Alaska Native
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- Other/Not Provided
What is Your Height and Weight (BMI)?
You may choose to use the NIH’s BMI calculator if that’s easier for you. Otherwise, find your BMI by multiplying your weight by 705. Then, divide by your total height in inches. Take the final result and divide it again by your height in inches.
Example:
Patient: 150 lbs/65 inches tall
Calculation: [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 = 24.96
Ht: ______________ Wt: ________________
BMI: _____________
If you choose to print out this page and fill it out, you should bring it to your pharmacist after you complete it. He or she can help you score your results to identify your risk factors.
Generally speaking, having a relative with diabetes, being overweight, being inactive, having high blood pressure, and being older than 50 all raise your risk for the disease. Certain races may also have a higher genetic propensity for diabetes, which could also increase your risk.
Why is High Blood Sugar Dangerous?
You might already know that diabetes raises your risk for high blood sugar. But do you know why high blood sugar is so dangerous?
Sugar, surprisingly, isn’t evil. In fact, our bodies literally require it for survival. Insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, changes the molecular structure of sugar. This allows cells all throughout the body to consume and use it in the production of energy and overall function.
Quite simply put, if you didn’t have any sugar in your body at all, you wouldn’t be alive. But sometimes, something goes wrong – usually in the pancreas (which is responsible for producing insulin). Sugar remains inaccessible to cells and builds up in the bloodstream to dangerous levels. Once this occurs, patients can suffer a long list of symptoms:
- Thirst
- Feeling “warm”
- Headaches
- Dehydration
- Vision problems
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Sleepiness
- Confusion
- Seizures
- Death
In most cases, patients who are prediabetic or in the process of developing diabetes only experience mild symptoms. Over time, these worsen as cellular function begins to struggle. Chronic diabetes can eventually cause damage to nearly every area of the body, including the heart, lungs, liver, brain, kidneys, and nerves.
Diabetes is Preventable
If all of this information sounds rather dire, here’s a bit of good news: diabetes is, in most cases, preventable later in life. While Type 1 diabetes is essentially genetic, both prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes can be treated or even reversed if detected early. This is why the ADA promotes Diabetes Alert Day, and the Risk Test, in the first place – to prevent patients like you from unnecessary suffering.
Take the test today and judge your risk factors. Or, ask your pharmacist or care team to explore your risk factors and test you for this preventable disease. If you are diagnosed with some form of diabetes that cannot be reversed, early diagnosis treatment will help you live a full and healthy life with virtually no effect on life span.
