This Health Risk Profile estimates your risk of developing diabetes compared to the average man or woman. Even more important, it tells you exactly which factors contribute to your risk and what you can do to reduce your risk of developing diabetes. By taking the Diabetes Risk Profile, you'll be able to take action to reduce your chances of developing diabetes and its complications.

What is diabetes? There are 2 types of diabetes, with the not very original names of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. They have in common that the level of sugar (or glucose) in the blood is abnormally high. Type 1 diabetes accounts for only 5% of all cases of diabetes and is characterized by a deficiency of the hormone insulin that regulates blood sugar levels. In the far more common type 2 diabetes, the level of insulin can be low, normal or high. The problem here is that the body does not respond properly to insulin; it becomes partially resistant to the effects of insulin.

What causes diabetes? Insulin resistance develops in type 2 diabetes long before the blood sugar starts to rise. This is because the body makes more insulin to compensate-for a while. After a time, however, either the cells that make insulin tire out or the body becomes so resistant to insulin that blood sugar starts to rise. The many complications of diabetes, which include heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and loss of limbs, are the results of many factors, including but not limited to the elevated levels of blood sugar and insulin.

The causes of insulin resistance are not completely known, but we do know that lack of physical activity, excess body fat and low-fiber diets, as well as genetics and family history, all contribute to the development of insulin resistance and diabetes. These are the primary risk factors for diabetes.

A risk factor is anything that affects your chances of getting a particular disease. You can control some of them, but not all of them. Those you can't control include genetics or family history, and environmental exposures or behaviors that occurred in the past. Those you can control include your current and future behavior, including diet and exercise, and your current and future environmental exposures, such as to tobacco smoke or other chemicals. Remember that risk factors are not absolute: having one or more risk factors does not mean you will definitely get diabetes, and avoiding risk factors does not guarantee you will be healthy. But they certainly affect your odds.

What about screening? Screening tests, or early detection, are designed to find diabetes when it's most likely to be treatable. The best screening tests uncover the pre-diabetic state, before blood sugar rises. A screening test looks for signs of diabetes or insulin resistance in people who have no symptoms. A positive screening test is typically followed by more testing to confirm that the person has diabetes and what associated conditions or complications he or she may have. Our Diabetes Risk Profile tells you when you are most likely to benefit from screening for diabetes; be sure to talk with your doctor for more information.

The best defense against diabetes is to avoid getting it in the first place. That's why risk factors are so important. By identifying which ones are raising your risk, and taking action to change those that you can, you'll reduce your chances of developing diabetes. Our Diabetes Risk Profile helps you to take this important step toward improving your health.