Mar 13, 2007
Are you at risk of diabetes
Both the UK and US national diabetes organizations have a risk test available for anyone worried about diabetes risk. Read the rest of this post and then take the tests and let me know how you get on.
You can take the Diabetes UK MeasureUp two-minute test here and/or the US diabetes risk test, although I recommend the more comprehensive (but more complicated) Diabetes UK test.
The US test is very, very simplistic, it asks you to plump for a very broad age range, asks if you have siblings or parents with diabetes, gets your height and weight, and whether you excercise or not. There is no detail in the questions at all, but then the results are very simplistic too. I truthfully filled in the blanks and scored a big fat zero. Null points. Thankfully, that means very low risk. But, I think the lack of questioning about supine waist measurement, body fat percentage and actual details about exercise, blood pressure etc, mean one would have to take this result with a large pinch of salt (actually, hold the salt, throw some sand instead, it is healthier).
I realize this is more about awareness and the tests are deliberately simplistic so that someone with a family history who does not exercise and is overweight might hopefully visit their doctor for a check up when the test shows them to be high risk.
There are over 20 million people in the US with diabetes, says the ADO, and almost a third of those (more than 6 million people) do not know it.
In contrast, the UK test is much more comprehensive and so presumably provides a better reflection of risk, it asks for waist measurement as well as ethnicity, and whether you have any cardiovascular disorders in some detail. It also asks about mental health and known metabolic disorders, as well as factors such as mental health problems. With all this additional information I still came out low risk, so I’m happy. What about you? I’d be interested to read comments from Sciencebase visitors who try either or both tests. Remember though, that if you are worried about diabetes or show any symptoms of the disease get to your GP fast.
Further information on diabetes is available from American Diabetes Association and
Diabetes UK
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Tim Robins said,
March 13, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I came out rather badly on both tests, I reckon I need to reduce my risk factors fast.
Kerensa L. Van Laer said,
March 13, 2007 at 10:43 pm
I have to admit I have not taken any test whatsoever, but I would suggest for Public Health in all countries, starting with the EU, to elaborate at the fullest Screening.
Screening would allow to better/faster detect and therefore better prevent diabetes.
Joe said,
March 14, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Taking chromium and vanadium stops diabetes in its tracks. Over and done with. You might need 400 mcg of chromium and 100 mcg of vanadium to start with. That’s because you have a deficiency.
David Bradley said,
March 15, 2007 at 9:08 am
Joe, if this were the case, then doctors would be recommending the use of V and Cr salts across the globe, but I don’t think the case is closed on the use of these elements (which need to be in a particular type of compound to be absorbed by the body). I wrote about the development of vanadium-based drugs for diabetes in 1999, probably time I did an update on progress.
DV82XL said,
March 15, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Indeed a good solid dose of hex chrome will stop the progression of any health problem, if you don’t mind being dead.