Celebrate American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Alert Day
Liz Meszaros, MDLinx | March 23, 2018
Tuesday, March 27, 2018, is American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day, a one-day “wake-up call” to the American public about diabetes, especially undiagnosed diabetes.
American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Alert Day March 27
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has dedicated this day, observed each year on the fourth Tuesday in March, to raising awareness about type 2 diabetes.
American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Alert Day March 27
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has dedicated this day, observed each year on the fourth Tuesday in March, to raising awareness about type 2 diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has dedicated this day, observed each year on the fourth Tuesday in March, to raising awareness about type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes affects about 9.4% of the population of the United States, or about 30.3 million people. Almost one in four adults with diabetes is not aware of their disease. Of the other 84.1 million Americans who have prediabetes, 9 of 10 are not aware of it.
Prediabetes almost always progresses to type 2 diabetes without proactive intervention such as life style changes that include exercise and nutrition. The complications of type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening, and include kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, amputation, and blindness.
Because 9 of 10 Americans who are most at risk for type 2 diabetes don’t know it, the ADA encourages everyone to take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test, a free, anonymous risk test that takes only 1 minute to complete.
The ADA’s plan for the day can be summarized in three points:
- Take it: Take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test.
- Learn it: Learn how to lower the risk of diabetes.
- Share it: Ask friends and family to take the test.
The ADA also encourages sharing information about Diabetes Alert Day on social media:
- It's #DiabetesAlertDay! #DYK that 84 million Americans have #prediabetes? Take @AmDiabetesAssn's #Diabetes Risk Test to know your risk: www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/risk-factors-type-2-diabetes/diabetes-risk-test
- #DiabetesAlertDay: Could you have diabetes and not know it? Take the @AmDiabetesAssn’s Diabetes Risk Test to find out: www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/risk-factors-type-2-diabetes/diabetes-risk-test
- It's Diabetes Alert Day! Did you know that 84 million Americans have prediabetes? Take the @AmericanDiabetesAssociation's Diabetes Risk Test to see if you are at risk for type 2: www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/risk-factors-type-2-diabetes/diabetes-risk-test
- Could you have diabetes and not know it? Take the @AmDiabetesAssn’s Diabetes Risk Test to learn more: www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/risk-factors-type-2-diabetes/diabetes-risk-test
Inform your patients about the ADA’s Diabetes Alert Day and encourage them to educate themselves on the risks for diabetes, take the risk test, and proactively work to prevent type 2 diabetes.