Diabetes Risk Factors

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 34.2 million people have diabetes. Half of these people are not aware they have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90-95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. A fasting blood sugar of 126mg/dl or higher or a Hemoglobin A1C test result of 6.5% or higher indicates you have diabetes. 

Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes include:

• Being overweight
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Being physically inactive
• Being 45 years of age or older

Before developing type 2 diabetes, most people have prediabetes. This means that their blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis.  More than 88 million US adults have prediabetes. A fasting blood sugar of 100-125 mg/dl or a Hemoglobin A1C test result of 5.8-6.4% indicates you have prediabetes. Prediabetes can be reversed.

You can cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half by:

• Participating in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week
• Keeping your weight in a healthy range
• Eating healthy foods including lots of fruits and vegetables
• Drinking more water and fewer sugary drinks