Diabetes Risk Test

Could you have diabetes and not know it?
Take the Test. Know the Score. Sixteen million Americans have diabetes – and half of them don’t even know it! Take this test to see if you are at risk for having diabetes. Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. If you are a member of one of these ethnic groups, you need to pay special attention to this test. To find out if you are at risk, tally the points next to each statement that is true for you. If a statement is not true, put a zero. Add your total score.

• My weight is equal to or above that listed in the chart below: Yes 5 _____
• I am under 65 years of age and I get little or no exercise during a usual day: Yes 5 _____
• I am between 45 and 64 years of age: Yes 5 _____
• I am 65 years old or older: Yes 9 _____
• I am a women who has had a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth: Yes 1 _____
• I have a sister or brother with diabetes: Yes 1 _____
• I have a parent with diabetes: Yes 1 _____
• TOTAL __________

Scoring 3-9 points: If you scored 3-9 points, you are probably at low risk for having diabetes now. But don’t just forget about it. You may be at higher risk in the future. Maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise can help you reduce your risk.

Scoring 10 or more points: If you scored 10 or more points, you are at high risk. See your doctor and find out for sure.

At-Risk Weight Chart
*Weight in pounds without clothing, height without shoes.

This chart shows weights that are 20% heavier than what is recommended for men and women with a medium frame. If your weight is at or above the amount listed for your height, you may be at risk for diabetes.

Diabetes Facts You Should Know:

1. Diabetes is a serious disease that can lead to blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and amputations.
2. Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death by disease in the United States, killing more than 160,000 people each year.
3. Some people with diabetes have symptoms. If you have any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor:
   > Extreme thirst
   > Blurry vision from time to time
   > Frequent urination
   > Unusual tiredness or drowsiness
   > Unexplained weight loss
4. Pregnant women should be tested for diabetes between the 5th and 6th months of pregnancy.

For more information on diabetes, call the American Diabetes Association (ADA) at 1-800-DIABETES, or visit the ADA website. [The preceding is being distributed by the American Diabetes Association in early 1996, with permission to reprint, as part of the American Diabetes Alert. The Alert is to help find the approximately 8 million Americans who have diabetes but are unaware of it. Copies of the full ADA brochure on the Alert are available in our office.]