Nearly Six Million Americans Have Diabetes and Don’t Know It

The Allegheny County Health Department is urging every County resident to take the Diabetes Risk Test on Tuesday, March 23, American Diabetes Alert Day. 

“This annual ‘wake-up’ call on Diabetes Alert Day encourages people to take a simple test and find out if they are at risk for diabetes, because controlling the disease starts with knowing whether you have it or are at risk,” said County Health Director Dr. Bruce W. Dixon.

Often referred to as America’s Silent Killer, diabetes affects nearly 24 million Americans but almost one in four who has the disease doesn’t know it.  Diabetes is increasingly affecting younger people and the longer it goes without being diagnosed the greater the risk of serious complications such as heart disease, blindness, stroke, kidney disease, amputation and ultimately death.

Diabetes means you have too much sugar or glucose in your blood and urine.  Many people are not diagnosed until many years after onset, because symptoms such as tiredness, thirstiness and frequent urination can occur gradually and be easily overlooked.  In the meantime, undiagnosed and untreated diabetes can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels.

The Diabetes Risk Test can be taken on the American Diabetes Association’s web site, www.diabetes.org/alert.  A copy of the test also can be obtained by calling 1-800-DIABETES (342-2383).

The primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes include being over the age of 45; carrying extra weight, especially around the waist; avoiding regular physical activity; having a family history of the disease; being Latino, African American, Asian American, Native American or Pacific Islander; and giving birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds.

If your test score is high or you have two or more risk factors, please contact your doctor or medical provider to discuss your risk and whether you should be tested for diabetes.

Those who do not have health insurance are urged to consult the Health Department’s Guide to Health Care Resources for the Uninsured and Underinsured, which is available on its web site at www.achd.net or by calling 412-687-ACHD.

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, good care can help prevent or delay problems.  So many improvements have been made in diabetes care in recent years that it’s possible to stay healthy and active with the disease.

If you find that you don’t have diabetes, work with your doctor or medical provider to figure out ways to change the things that put you at greater risk, such as extra weight and inactivity.

Research has found that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by losing a modest amount of weight, for example 7 to 12 pounds, and engaging in 30 minutes of daily physical activity such as walking.

Visit the Health Department's Web site.