(KUTV) November is Diabetes Awareness Month –and every 17 seconds someone new is diagnosed with the disease.
The vast majority of these cases are type 2 diabetes, a condition that can often be prevented.
The American Diabetes Association wants you to know your risk for diabetes.
“Some risks are obviously not worth taking. Some aren't as obvious but could be just as deadly like the risk for type 2 diabetes. Take the diabetes risk test and stop diabetes before it stops you,” Dr. Martin Abrahamson at Joslin Diabetes Center says.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, a chronic condition that affects the way the body uses glucose –the body's main source of fuel.
As obesity levels have risen in the United States, so have the rates of type 2 diabetes.
“The more obese people are the greater the risk,” Dr. Martin Abrahamson says.
But type 2 diabetes can often be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Experts say eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are high in fiber and can help control blood sugar levels. Also, get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.
And when it comes to weight loss, Dr. Abrahamson says, “Losing 5 - 10 percent of their body weight is sufficient to actually reduce their risk of developing diabetes or in fact to help control their diabetes.”
Complications from diabetes can lead to a wide range of health problems from heart disease and stroke to kidney damage and blindness.
But making healthy lifestyle choices today, may lead to a healthier tomorrow.
If you would like to take the diabetes risk test, click here
(Copyright 2012 Sinclair Broadcasting Group)