While most know about the health consequences of diabetes, few understand the risk involved with having prediabetes, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 86 million Americans are affected by prediabets.
According to the CDC, 90 percent of Americans with prediabetes do not know they have it and are unaware of the risks. Between 15 to 30 percent of those with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years.
Because of the health risk of prediabetes, the CDC is launching a campaign to educate Americans on the risks.
Prediabetes is caused from higher than normal blood glucose levels. Without changes in diet and activity level, people can develop type 2 diabetes, which can cause serious medical issues.
Part of the campaign is to encourage people to take a test to see if they are likely to have prediabetes.
“Awareness is crucial in the effort to stop type 2 diabetes,” said David Marrero, Ph.D., Director of the Diabetes Translation Research Center at the Indiana University School of Medicine and former President, Health Care & Education at the American Diabetes Association. “Take one minute to take the risk test today and share it with your loved ones. The prediabetes risk test will help you know where you stand and help us get closer to our vision of a life free of diabetes and all of its burdens.”
