By Alysa Ferguson, RD, CDE
Diabetes affects 26 million Americans, with 19 million people diagnosed and 7 million undiagnosed. Another 79 million adults have pre-diabetes, which puts them at high risk for developing the disease.
This November ask yourself if you are at risk for diabetes and what you can do to help lower your risk.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include having a family history, being overweight, being over 45 years old, having had gestational diabetes (or giving birth to a baby over 9 pounds) and being inactive. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans are at particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes. If you feel you are at risk, ask your doctor to check your A1C. Having an A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 indicates a high risk for diabetes.
Most importantly, take steps to reduce your risk for diabetes now and in the future.
Studies have shown the powerful impact lifestyle changes can make. If overweight, losing 5 to 7% of body weight has been shown to cut diabetes risk in half; that is 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. This is best accomplished by making practical, realistic changes to your eating habits. Physical activity is also a powerful tool for prevention. With 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, you can reduce your risk for diabetes and other chronic diseases. An example of this would be to walk for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Grab a family member or friend and get moving!
If you are ready to learn more about diabetes prevention or management, visit www.diabetes.org.
If you live in Suffolk County and are interested in attending classes about diabetes prevention or diabetes self-management, contact Anastasia Loper at (631) 727-7850 Ext. 340 or abl98@cornell.edu for more information.
Alysa Ferguson is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and Family Health Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 342 or at ah372@cornell.edu.