ABOUT US RESEARCH PRODUCTS CAREERS HOME INVESTORS NEWSROOM LICENSING CONTACT US QUICK LINKS AMERICA'S DIABETES CHALLENGE About Us Our Values Corporate Responsibility Be well Health Tips & Resources Leadership How We Operate Views and Positions Our History Featured Stories People with type 2 diabetes should set individual goals to manage the ABCs of diabetes—that's A for A1C, B for blood pressure and C for cholesterol. A1C is a test that shows what your blood glucose has been over the last three months. America’s Diabetes Challenge: Get to Your Goals is a Merck-sponsored educational program created to raise awareness among people with type 2 diabetes about the importance of achieving better control of their blood sugar—a key goal in helping to reduce the risk of serious health problems. The America’s Diabetes Challenge program offers many resources, including tips to help people with type 2 diabetes reach their goals, tools to track their A1C goal, and questions they can ask their doctor. People with type 2 diabetes can access these resources and take the America’s Diabetes Challenge pledge to set and attain their own blood sugar goals by visiting www.AmericasDiabetesChallenge.com. Committed to Her Goals After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2003, celebrated film, stage and television actress S. Epatha Merkerson got serious about her health. Now, she’s teaming up with Merck on America’s Diabetes Challenge: Get to Your Goals to urge people with type 2 diabetes to achieve better control of their blood sugar. “I lost my father and grandmother to complications of type 2 diabetes,” says Merkerson, “so I learned firsthand how important it is to know your A1C and make a commitment to getting to your goal.” Working with her doctor, Merkeson made a personalized diabetes management plan, which included diet, exercise and medication to help her achieve her A1C goal. By sticking to that plan—and making changes with her doctor when necessary—Merkerson has kept her blood sugar under control. Shining a Spotlight on A1C A main goal of type 2 diabetes management is to keep your blood sugar under control and to reach the A1C goal you’ve established with your doctor. Nearly half of people with diabetes have an A1C greater than 7 percent, but the American Diabetes Association recommends that many people with diabetes should have an A1C of less than 7 percent to help reduce the risk of complications. For certain individuals, a higher or lower A1C goal may be more appropriate, which is why it is important for people with diabetes to speak with their doctors to discuss the A1C goal that is right for them. Accept the Challenge, Take the Pledge Are you at your A1C goal? Find out by accepting America’s Diabetes Challenge. Take the pledge to know your A1C and to get to your goal. Merck launched the America's Diabetes Challenge program with an interactive A1C wall in New York on April 23, 2014. At the wall, people with type 2 diabetes–including actress S. Epatha Merkerson–pledged to set and attain their A1C goal, while others showed their support for the more than 29 million Americans living with diabetes. PRINT SHARE SIZE RELATED NEWS Accept America's Diabetes Challenge Join the community on Facebook DID YOU KNOW? More than 29 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. Of these people, 90 percent to 95 percent have type 2 diabetes. One of three American men and nearly 2 of 5 American women born in 2000 will develop diabetes sometime during their lifetime. Copyright © 2009-2014 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Terms of Use Site Map