NIH Radio
Find out if you could be at risk for type 2 diabetes on Diabetes Alert Day, March 22nd
Brief Description:
Diabetes Alert Day this year is March 22nd; it’s a one-day wake-up call about the seriousness of diabetes. The campaign encourages everyone to know their risk of diabetes by taking a diabetes risk test.
Transcript:
Ehrhardt: Diabetes Alert Day encourages people to know their risk of diabetes. This year, it falls on March 22nd.
Rodgers: Diabetes Alert Day is an annual reminder to find out if you—or someone you love—could be at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Ehrhardt: Dr. Griffin Rodgers directs the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. He is also a leader of the National Diabetes Education Program, or NDEP, a joint program of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rodgers: In observance of Diabetes Alert Day, which is recognized this year on March the 22nd, the National Diabetes Education Program is encouraging everyone to know their risk for type 2 diabetes by taking the diabetes risk test.
Ehrhardt: The diabetes risk test asks seven simple questions about family history, weight, age, and lifestyle—all potential risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Rodgers: First, it's important to find out whether you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Take the NDEP diabetes risk test by visiting www.YourDiabetesInfo.org.
Ehrhardt: Dr. Rodgers says that encouraging people to identify their risk of type 2 diabetes is a critical step. He explains that this helps people prevent the disease, and it promotes early diagnosis and treatment.
Rodgers: If left undiagnosed or untreated, diabetes can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, amputations, and even death. The good news is that with early diagnosis and treatment, people with diabetes can delay or prevent the development of these health problems.
Ehrhardt: Millions of Americans have diabetes, and many do not know it.
Rodgers: Diabetes is a serious disease that affects nearly 26 million Americans. Diabetes is called a “silent killer” because 1 out of 4 people with diabetes has the disease and doesn’t know that they have it.
Ehrhardt: Even more Americans are at risk of diabetes.
Rodgers: Most people with diabetes don't know that they have symptoms. But if they do, some of the symptoms can include being very thirsty, urinating often, losing weight without trying, feeling very hungry or tired, having blurry vision, and losing the feeling in your feet or having a tingling sensation in your feet.
Ehrhardt: For more information on diabetes, the diabetes risk test, and Diabetes Alert Day, visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org. This is Britt Ehrhardt at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 3/21/2011
Reporter: Britt Ehrhardt
Sound Bite: Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers
Topic: type 2 diabetes, Diabetes Alert Day, pre-diabetes, diabetes risk test, National Diabetes Education Program
Institute(s):
NIDDK
Additional Info: Diabetes Alert Day 2011
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