Know if you are at risk for diabetes by taking a one-minute test

Diabetes Alert Day is Tuesday, March 27. This annual observance reminds us about the seriousness of diabetes, the fourth leading cause of early death in Lake County. The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center urges you to take action in three ways:

• Take the Diabetes Risk Test to determine if you may be at risk for prediabetes: https://DoIHavePrediabetes.org. The free, anonymous test takes less than one minute to complete.

• Talk to your doctor if your score indicates you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you do not have a doctor, call the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center to make an appointment at (847) 377-8800.

• Support the Thunderclap - pledge a tweet, Facebook post, or Tumblr post to urge your friends and followers on social media to also take the risk test. Sign up by March 26 at http://bit.ly/DiabetesRisk-LakeCounty.

A person with prediabetes has a blood sugar level higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Catching prediabetes early can help prevent diabetes and help people avoid serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations.

Risk factors for developing diabetes include weight, age, family history, history of gestational diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and certain ethnic backgrounds, such as African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, American Indians, Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders.

Diabetes affects more than 30 million Americans, or about 9 percent of the U.S. population. A 2016 survey of Lake County residents indicated that as many as 31,000 adults may have been diagnosed with diabetes and as many as 73,000 adults may have been diagnosed with prediabetes.

The Health Department offers diabetes prevention and treatment programs. To make an appointment with a Health Department provider, call (847) 377-8800. For more information, visit health.lakecountyil.gov.