Diabetes finger prick

Alert! Are You at Risk for Diabetes?

Alert Day for diabetesEach year the American Diabetes Association hosts Alert Day. It's a one-day campaign dedicated to asking Americans to take the Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, and 25 percent of them do not even know they have it. An additional 86 million, have pre-diabetes, which puts them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. 

Often, a diabetes diagnosis does not come until 10 years after the onset of the disease after disabling and even deadly complications have developed. Some of the most common complications include heart disease, blindness, kidney disease or stroke.

"Diabetes is one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness in adults," said Dr. Clark Perry, endocrinologist at Community Physician Network. "It is also the leading cause of renal failure and the need for dialysis."

Therefore, early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment and in delaying or preventing complications. Dr. Perry notes that knowing your risk can also help you make simple lifestyle changes, like losing weight, to reduce risk.

By taking a simple risk test online, you can determine your risk and know whether or not to consult your physician.

Take it. Share it. Step out.

Call our nutrition services for more information about living with diabetes.

It's easy to start a conversation with your doctor. Begin by taking a health risk assessment. Then, discuss your results with your primary care doctor.

Start Diabetes HRA

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