In their 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report, the American Diabetes Association reported on increasing numbers of people suffering from type 2 (formerly known as adult-onset) diabetes –both diagnosed and undiagnosed – across all demographic parameters, with a current rate of almost 2 million new diabetes diagnoses per year.
Who’s most prone to developing diabetes? Though some people inherit an elevated risk given their family heritage, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are among the top risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes – meaning that everyone is at risk, unless they take the appropriate steps to maintain daily wellness.
What is to be done?
The sooner you get your diet and fitness habits in order, the greater your chances of reducing your risk of complications, or even your symptoms – diabetes can vary in severity, and so your efforts can help tame it. For those with prediabetes, these steps can even be preventative measures.
Educating the public on prevention and symptom management is the most important step that can be taken to address the growing numbers of US diabetics. However, sensitivity is necessary here, as individuals may be reluctant to face their bad habits or embarrassed to admit what they don’t know.
- Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test
- CDC Prediabetes Screening Test
- Quiz: Myths and Facts About Type 2 Diabetes
- Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Sugar?
- Diabetes Education Online – Quizzes
Brought to you by the American Diabetes Association, this test utilizes the 7 most common risk factors for adult type 2 diabetes to assess your likelihood of developing diabetes. Most other online tests to determine risk of developing diabetes use these same 7 factors, but this one is from the leading organization dedicated to diabetes.
Bonus feature: this test has a printable PDF version, enabling its use with individuals or in settings without a computer and internet connection.
2. CDC Prediabetes Screening Test
Pre-diabetics have elevated levels of blood glucose and are at an elevated risk of developing diabetes when compared to normal, healthy individuals, but have not yet reached the glucose cut-off to warrant an official ‘diabetes’ diagnosis. Unfortunately, between 2010 and 2012, the number of Americans aged 20 and older with diabetes rose from 79 million to 86 million adults.
The good news is that, with the appropriate diet and lifestyle changes (and sometimes medical intervention), prediabetes can be controlled or even resolved.
3. Quiz: Myths and Facts About Type 2 Diabetes
One major obstacle to diabetes treatment and prevention is the extent of misinformation or even lack of information that many patients have about what diabetes is and how their daily habits can be modified in order to address it. This is a difficult issue to confront anyone about without having them be defensive.
4. Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Sugar?
Sugar has crept into almost every part of the American diet, and many doctors think it contributes to illnesses beyond just diabetes. Though that might be controversial, there is nothing controversial about limiting sugar intake in order to control diabetic tendencies. In order to do this effectively, you have to know where to look – this quiz helps assess your knowledge of sugar and correct some of the most common misconceptions.
5. Diabetes Education Online – Quizzes
Organized by the University of California – San Francisco, this is a collection of quizzes that are designed to educate test takers on the various aspects of diabetes ranging from background through management. Each quiz has a very specific topic, which makes it easy to pick and choose which ones to administer based on the individual test taker’s needs.