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Diabetes: Assessing Your Risk

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Diabetes strikes nearly 26 million adults and children nationwide each year — and age, gender and race are partly to blame.

Diabetes develops when there is too much glucose or sugar in the blood — which we need for fuel — but not enough in our cells. Either the body’s insulin-producing cells have been destroyed (type 1 diabetes), or the body has become resistant to insulin (type 2 diabetes).

The American Diabetes Association designates the fourth Tuesday in March as Diabetes Alert Day, a “wake-up call” urging the public to assess its risk of this serious disease.

Several factors put you at risk for diabetes:

  • Having a parent or sibling with diabetes
  • Having gestational diabetes, or giving birth to at least one baby weighing more than nine pounds
  • Being age 45 or older
  • Being of African, Alaskan, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, Latino, or Pacific Island descent
  • Being male
  • Being overweight
  • Smoking
  • Having high blood pressure (140/90 or above)
  • Having “good” HDL cholesterol at 35 or below and triglycerides above 250
  • Exercising fewer than three times a week
  • Previously testing positive for prediabetes (higher than normal blood sugar)

Reduce Your Risk
Although you can’t change your age, race, family or gender, you can reduce your risk of getting diabetes through simple diet and lifestyle changes. For instance, if you typically crave snacks such as chips or candy, eating a banana, nuts, raw carrots or other slower-to-digest foods can help your blood sugar remain stable longer and fight cravings. In addition, eating whole grains, vegetables and whole fruits, as well as getting regular exercise, are all cornerstones of healthy living that can prevent a variety of conditions, from diabetes to heart disease.

If you have more questions about diabetes, St. Petersburg General Hospital can help. Call our free Consult-A-Nurse®, service at (888) 741-5122 for further information or for a physician referral.

Related Posts:
Diabetes 101: Symptoms and Treatment
Top Tips for Managing Your Diabetes


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