Risk Factors

There are over 79 million Americans who are pre-diabetic (highly likely to develop diabetes within the next 10 years.) CDC

You have a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes if you have any of the following:

• I am age 45 or older.
• I am overweight or obese.
• I have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
• My family background is African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander American.
• I have had gestational diabetes.
• I gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
• My blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, or I have been told that I have high blood pressure.
• My cholesterol levels are higher than normal. My HDL, or good, cholesterol is below 35, or my triglyceride level is above 250.
• I am fairly inactive.
• I have polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS.
• On previous testing, I had prediabetes—an A1C level of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).
• I have other clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as a condition called acanthosis nigricans, characterized by a dark, velvety rash around my neck or armpits.
• I have a history of cardiovascular disease.
  
  The more items you checked, the higher your risk.

Everyone over 45 should have their blood glucose checked at least every three years. Regular testing of blood glucose should begin at a younger age, and be performed more often, if you are at higher risk for diabetes.