Question: What is (are) Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Taking Steps to Lower Your Risk of Getting Diabetes ?
Answer: In addition to type 2, the other main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, is usually first diagnosed in children, teenagers, and young adults. In this type of diabetes, your pancreas can no longer make insulin because your bodys immune system has attacked and destroyed the cells that make it. Treatment for type 1 diabetes includes taking insulin shots or using an insulin pump, making wise food choices, being physically active on a regular basis, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and, for some, taking aspirin daily. Gestational Diabetes Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops only during pregnancy. Hormones produced by your placenta and other pregnancy-related factors contribute to insulin resistance, which occurs in all women during late pregnancy. Insulin resistance increases the amount of insulin needed to control blood glucose levels. If your pancreas cant produce enough insulin, gestational diabetes occurs. As with type 2 diabetes, excess weight is linked to gestational diabetes. Overweight or obese women are at particularly high risk for gestational diabetes because they start pregnancy with a higher need for insulin due to insulin resistance. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy may also increase risk. Gestational diabetes occurs more often in some ethnic groups and among women with a family history of diabetes. Although gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, a woman who has had gestational diabetes is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. Babies born to mothers who had gestational diabetes are also more likely to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes as they grow up.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the symptoms of Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Taking Steps to Lower Your Risk of Getting Diabetes ?
Answer: The signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild that you might not even notice them. Nearly 7 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes and dont know they have the disease. Many have no signs or symptoms. Some people have symptoms but do not suspect diabetes. Symptoms include - increased thirst - increased hunger - fatigue - increased urination, especially at night - unexplained weight loss - blurred vision - numbness or tingling in the feet or hands - sores that do not heal Many people do not find out they have the disease until they have diabetes problems, such as blurred vision or heart trouble. If you find out early that you have diabetes, you can get treatment to prevent damage to your body.
Source: NIDDK

Question: Who is at risk for Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Taking Steps to Lower Your Risk of Getting Diabetes? ?
Answer: To find out your risk for type 2 diabetes, check each item that applies to you. - I am age 45 or older. - I am overweight or obese. - I have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes. - My family background is African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander American. - I have had gestational diabetes. - I gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds. - My blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, or I have been told that I have high blood pressure. - My cholesterol levels are higher than normal. My HDL, or good, cholesterol is below 35, or my triglyceride level is above 250. - I am fairly inactive. - I have polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS. - On previous testing, I had prediabetesan A1C level of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). - I have other clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as a condition called acanthosis nigricans, characterized by a dark, velvety rash around my neck or armpits. - I have a history of cardiovascular disease. The more items you checked, the higher your risk. Does sleep matter? Yes. Studies show that untreated sleep problems, especially sleep apnea, can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Most people who have sleep apnea dont know they have it and it often goes undiagnosed. Night shift workers who have problems with sleepiness may also be at increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. If you think you might have sleep problems, ask your doctor for help. More information about sleep problems is available from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/resources/sleep.
Source: NIDDK

Question: Who is at risk for Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Taking Steps to Lower Your Risk of Getting Diabetes? ?
Answer: You can do a lot to reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Being more physically active, reducing fat and calorie intake, and losing a little weight can help you lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Taking the diabetes medicine metformin can also reduce risk, particularly in younger and heavier people with prediabetes and women who have had gestational diabetes. Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels also helps you stay healthy. If you are overweight, then take these steps: - Reach and maintain a reasonable body weight. Even a 10 or 15 pound weight loss makes a big difference. - Make wise food choices most of the time. - Be physically active every day. If you are fairly inactive, then take this step: - Be physically active every day. If your blood pressure is too high, then take these steps: - Reach and maintain a reasonable body weight. - Make wise food choices most of the time. - Reduce your sodium and alcohol intake. - Be physically active every day. - Talk with your doctor about whether you need medicine to control your blood pressure. If your cholesterol or triglyceride levels are too high, then take these steps: - Make wise food choices most of the time. - Be physically active every day. - Talk with your doctor about whether you need medicine to control your cholesterol levels.
Source: NIDDK

Question: Who is at risk for Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Taking Steps to Lower Your Risk of Getting Diabetes? ?
Answer: Making big changes in your life is hard, especially if you are faced with more than one change. You can make it easier by taking these steps: - Make a plan to change behavior. - Decide exactly what you will do and give yourself a time frame. - Plan what you need to get ready. - Track your goals and activity on a food and activity tracker, available at http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-communication-programs/ndep/health-care-professionals/game-plan/small-steps/Documents/GP_FoodActTracker.pdf (PDF, 349 KB) - Think about what might prevent you from reaching your goals. - Find family and friends who will support and encourage you. - Decide how you will reward yourselfa shopping trip, movie tickets, an afternoon in the parkwhen you do what you have planned. Your doctor, a dietitian, or a counselor can help you make a plan. Be Physically Active Every Day Regular physical activity tackles several risk factors at once. Activity helps you lose weight; keeps your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol under control; and helps your body use insulin. People in the DPP who were physically active for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes. Many chose brisk walking as their physical activity. If you are not fairly active, you should start slowly. First, talk with your doctor about what kinds of physical activity are safe for you. Make a plan to increase your activity level toward the goal of being active at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week. You can increase your level of physical activity in two main ways: 1. Start an exercise program. 2. Increase your daily activity. Start an exercise program. Pick exercises that suit you. Find a friend to walk with you or join an exercise class that will help you keep going. - Do aerobic activities, which use your large muscles to make your heart beat faster. The large muscles are those of the upper and lower arms; upper and lower legs; and those that control head, shoulder, and hip movements. - Do activities to strengthen muscles and bone, such as lifting weights or sit-ups, two to three times a week. Find helpsuch as a video or a classto learn how to do these exercises properly. Increase your daily activity. Choose activities you enjoy. You can work extra activity into your daily routine by doing the following: - Increase daily activity by decreasing time spent watching TV or at the computer. Set up a reminder on your computer to take an activity break. - Take the stairs rather than an elevator or escalator. - Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk. - Get off the bus a few stops early and walk the rest of the way. - Walk or bicycle whenever you can. Take Your Prescribed Medicines Some people need medicine to help control their blood pressure or cholesterol levels. If you do, take your medicines as directed. Ask your doctor if you should take metformin to prevent type 2 diabetes. Metformin is a medicine that makes insulin work better and can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What to do for Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? Taking Steps to Lower Your Risk of Getting Diabetes ?
Answer: Your eating, diet, and nutrition choices play an important role in preventing or delaying diabetes. Follow the suggestions below to reach and maintain a reasonable weight and make wise food choices most of the time. Remember that it can take time to change your habits and be patient with yourself. You can also get help from a dietitian or join a weight-loss program to support you while you reach your goals. Reach and Maintain a Reasonable Body Weight Your weight affects your health in many ways. Being overweight can keep your body from making and using insulin properly. Excess body weight can also cause high blood pressure. Every pound you lose lowers your risk of getting diabetes. In addition to weight, the location of excess fat on the body can be important. A waist measurement of 40 inches or more for men and 35 inches or more for women is linked to insulin resistance and increases a persons risk for type 2 diabetes. This is true even if your BMI falls within the normal range. Find Your BMI The BMI is a measure of body weight relative to height. The BMI can help you find out whether you are normal weight, overweight, or obese. Use the table on pages 24 and 25 to find your BMI. - Find your height in the left-hand column. - Move across in the same row to the number closest to your weight. - The number at the top of that column is your BMI. Check the word above your BMI to see whether you are normal weight, overweight, or obese. The BMI has certain limitations. The BMI may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build and underestimate body fat in older adults and others who have lost muscle. The BMI for children and teens must be determined based on age, height, weight, and sex. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information about BMI in children and teens, including a BMI calculator, at www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi. The CDC website also has a BMI calculator for adults. A BMI calculator from the NIH is available at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm. The NIH also has a free smartphone app for calculating BMI. You can search My BMI Calculator on your phone to find the app. The app also provides links to information about steps you can take to bring your BMI into a healthy range.
Source: NIDDK