Hospital Update

In a 2018 study, Garfield County was found to have the highest percentage of diabetic patients in the state, per capita. Diabetes occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high.

Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems like heart disease, nerve damage, eye problems, and kidney disease. Precautions can be taken to prevent diabetes or manage it. According to the CDC, “More than 84 million (1 in 3) American adults have prediabetes, but 90% of them don’t know they have it. Having prediabetes greatly increases the chance of developing type 2 diabetes and other serious health conditions. It is critical for Americans to learn their risk, be screened regularly and take the steps necessary to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.”

Are you at risk for diabetes? Here is a simple test you can take.

•Do you have parent or sibling with diabetes? Yes (1 point)

•Have you ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure? Yes (1 point)

•How old are you? <40 years (0 point) 40-49 years (1 point) 50-59 years (2 points) >60 years (3 points)

•Are you physically active? Yes (0 point) No (1 point)

•Are you man or woman? Man (1 point) Woman (0 point)

•What is your Basic Metabolic Index? Normal (BMI<25) (0 point) Overweight (BMI 25-29) (1 point) Obese (BMI 30-39) (2 points) Morbid obese (BMI >40) (3 points)

•What race or ethnicity best describes you? Afro-American American Indians, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders

Ethnicity–African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. However, this test factored in ethnicity only in calculating Asian American BMI. Asian Americans are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes at lower weights than other ethnicities.

A person with a score of 5 or higher is at significant risk for having prediabetes; however, only a blood test, known as A1C, can determine a diagnosis.

What should you do next?

Talk to your doctor, and ask for a simple blood test to confirm the results.

If you are diagnosed with prediabetes, a CDC-recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program can help you take steps to reverse it. It is scientifically proven, and it works!

Learn about the program at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/lifestyle-program/experience

A. Work with a trained lifestyle coach

B. Learn about healthy eating and being more active

C. Get support from others in your group

*Reference American Diabetes Association US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).