alert day

today is american diabetes association alert day, and if you know someone who may be at risk for type 2 diabetes, you should send them over to facebook to take a quick test that will help determine their risk for developing it. AND, for every test taken between today and april 27, boar's head will donate $5! so, send someone now! 

here's a little more info from ada:

American Diabetes Association Unveils New Diabetes Risk Test

Updated Algorithm Makes Test Simple to Take; Facebook Makes it Easy to Share

Alexandria, VA (March 27, 2012) – Today marks the 24^th annual American Diabetes Association Alert Day® and the Association has released a new and improved Diabetes Risk Test to help Americans determine whether they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Updated with a more sophisticated algorithm and available on Facebook, the test can be taken in less than a minute, and easily shared with family, friends and loved ones. To encourage individuals to take and share the new Diabetes Risk Test, Boar’s Head_®, manufacturer of premium delicatessen products, will donate $5 to the Association for every risk test taken, up to $50,000 from now until April 27, 2012.  

The Diabetes Risk Test requires users to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for diabetes. Their results are reported as a numerical score indicating low or high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Those at higher risk are encouraged to speak with their health care provider to learn more about ways to help reduce their risk or delay onset of the disease.

The latest diabetes statistics show that one in three American adults are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.  79 million American adults have prediabetes, which means that their blood glucose (sugar) is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. What’s more, out of the nearly 26 million Americans with diabetes, one-fourth of them, or about 7 million, do not realize they have the disease.

“The more people who take this first step in knowing their risk, the closer we will become to stopping this disease that has reached epidemic proportions,” stated Geri Spollett, MSN, ANP-CS, CDE, President- Elect, Health Care & Education, American Diabetes Association. “The time to act is now. Taking one quick minute to learn your risk today could lead to a much healthier tomorrow.”

In addition to Facebook, people can find this free test (in English or Spanish) by visiting stopdiabetes.com or calling 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). 

Diabetes Awareness and Prevention

The primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes are being overweight, sedentary, over the age of 45 and having a family history of diabetes. African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at an increased risk, as are women who have had gestational diabetes or had babies weighing more than nine pounds at birth.

Diabetes symptoms can include frequent urination, blurred vision and excessive thirst. However, these overt warning signs may not become manifest for many years. As a result, for many, diagnosis may come seven to ten years after the actual onset of the disease. Closing the diagnosis gap is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as heart disease, blindness kidney disease, stroke, amputation and death.

Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by losing just 7 percent of body weight (such as 15 pounds if you weigh 200) through regular physical activity (30 minutes a day, five days a week) and healthy eating.

Alert Day in Your Community

The American Diabetes Association’s local offices are working with their community organizations and partners to promote Alert Day. To find out what activities are happening locally, visit www.stopdiabetes.com.

Alert Day is nationally sponsored by Boar’s Head_® Provisions Co., Inc., and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  The Association would also like to thank the following supporters for joining us in promoting Alert Day includingAmerican Medical ID, American Pharmacists Association, BD Medical - Diabetes Care, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., BrightSky, Bristol Myers-Squibb, Bumble Bee Foods, Colgate Total^®, Dignity Memorial^®, Eli Lilly & Company, Gold’s Gym, HearPO^®, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Medtronic, Inc., Merisant Company, maker of Equal^® and Pure Via^®,  Miracle-Ear^®,  National Basketball Association (NBA),  Novo Nordisk Inc., Nutrisystem^® D™, Quest Diagnostics, Roche Diabetes Care, sanofi, Sonus^®, Walgreens and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).