Who Is at Risk for Diabetes?

There are over 25 million children and adults in the United States with diabetes—and more than 25% of them (7 million people) don't even know they have it.¹ Knowing the risk factors for type 2 diabetes is important, because the earlier diabetes is diagnosed, the sooner steps can be taken toward managing the disease and perhaps preventing complications.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include²:

• overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) or obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) (to find out your body mass index, or BMI, use the calculator to the right)
• family history of diabetes (first-degree relative, ie, mother, father, sister, brother)
• race/ethnicity other than white, such as African American, Hispanic/Latino American, Native American, Asian American, or Pacific Islander
• had diabetes during a pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
• gave birth to a large baby (more than 9 pounds)
• physical inactivity
• high blood pressure (≥140/90 mm Hg)
• low HDL cholesterol (<35 mg/dL) and/or high triglyceride levels (>250 mg/dL)
• women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• diagnosed with pre-diabetes
• have had heart problems

Adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m² or higher and any of the above risk factors should be tested for diabetes. Otherwise, testing should begin at age 45.²

Can the onset of type 2 diabetes be delayed?

The answer is YES! Research studies have found that lifestyle changes can delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among individuals at high risk (those with pre-diabetes). They may even be able to return their blood sugar (glucose) levels to the normal range.

Lifestyle modifications included weight loss of 7% of body weight, as well as increasing physical activity to 150 minutes per week of moderate activity such as walking. In the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a large prevention study of people at high risk for diabetes, the development of diabetes was reduced 58% over 3 years.² While the DPP also showed that a medication called metformin may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better.

References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National diabetes fact sheet: national estimates and general information on diabetes and prediabetes in the United States, 2011. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf. Accessed October 27, 2011.
2. American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes—2011. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(suppl 1):S11-S61.