March 22 is Diabetes Alert Day! Observed annually on the fourth Tuesday in March, Diabetes Alert Day is a one-day “wake-up call” that focuses on the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of understanding your risk.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 37.3 million Americans— about 1 in 5 — have diabetes. Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes depend on a combination of risk factors such as your genes and lifestyle.
Read about risk factors for type 2 diabetes below and see which ones apply to you. Taking action on the factors you can change can help you delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.
You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you have any of the following factors:
- Being overweight
- Being 45 years or older
- Having a family history of type 2 diabetes
- Being physically active less than three times a week
- Having had gestational diabetes/a baby that weighed more than nine pounds
We encourage you to find out if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes by taking this quick and simple Diabetes Risk Test.
The good news is the sooner you know you may be at risk for diabetes, the sooner you can prevent or manage it. Individuals can delay or avoid developing type 2 diabetes through lifestyle intervention programming known as a Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). In fact, participants in the program can reduce their risk for developing diabetes by 58 percent!
Learn more about the benefits of a Diabetes Prevention Program here.