Am I at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes?
Roughly one in 15 New Zealanders has diabetes, however a lot of these people don’t know it. Hundreds of people go undiagnosed every year; could you be one of them? Keep reading to see if you are at risk.
What are the risk factors for diabetes?
Some people are at higher risk than others for developing type 2 diabetes, and the reasons for these risks are often out of people’s control.
Risk factors can include:
- Having prediabetes (where your blood sugar is abnormally high, but not high enough to be considered diabetes)
- Being overweight (especially if the measurement around your waist is somewhat large)
- Being of Māori, Asian, Middle Eastern or Pacific Island descent
- Being physically inactive
- Smoking
- Age 45 years or older
- Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
- Having high blood pressure
- Having a diet rich in fat and sugar and low fruit and vegetable content
For women there are additional risk factors:
- Having, or have had, gestational diabetes (diabetes developed while pregnant) or gave birth to a baby of more than 4kg
- Having poly-cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
However, those who are at risk because of one or more of these factors have the ability to reduce this risk by addressing the risks that are under their control. For example, by becoming more active, eating more healthy food in moderate quantities, managing stress, stopping smoking, etc can prevent or slow down the development of type 2 diabetes. If you are concerned over your risk, being mindful of these factors, keeping an eye on your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol can be helpful, as can recording your symptoms.
As noted above, you can lower your personal risk of developing type 2 diabetes through proven lifestyle changes. If you are unsure of how to pursue a better diet or exercise plan, connect with your GP and ask for their help in constructing a sustainable and effective way for you to better manage your health.
Risk tool
One way to evaluate your personal risk is to use the form below. It asks a series of questions, including your ethnicity, age, waist size, and so on, to estimate your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is not a diagnosis, but a useful tool to help you better understand your personal risk and make plans around that.
