Diabetes Prevention
Should I Be Tested for Diabetes?
Anyone 45 years old or older should consider getting tested for diabetes. If you are 45 or older and overweight -see the BMI chart- getting tested is strongly recommended. If you are younger than 45, overweight and have one or more of the risk factors, you should consider getting tested. Ask your doctor for a fasting blood glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test. Your doctor will tell you if you have normal blood glucose, pre-diabetes or diabetes.
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Medical Guidelines
Blood glucose goals
Normal fasting: less than 100 mg/dl
2 hours after eating: less than 140 mg/dl
Hemoglobin A1c
Less than or equal to 6.5 percent
Blood pressure
Less than or equal to 120/80 mm Hg
Blood lipids
Total cholesterol: less than or equal to 200 mg/ dl
HDL (good cholesterol): greater than 45 mg/dl for men and greater than 55 mg/dl for women
LDL (bad cholesterol): less than or equal to 100 mg/dl
Ideal triglycerides: less than or equal to 150 mg/dl
Reducing your risk for diabetes
There are many things that you can do to lower your chances of getting diabetes, including exercising regularly, reducing fat and calorie intake and losing weight. Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels also helps you stay healthy; these can be lowered with a combination of diet, exercise and medications. Your doctor or health-care provider can help you make a plan.
Reach and maintain a reasonable body weight
Your weight affects your health in many ways. Being overweight can keep your body from making and using insulin properly. Excess body weight can also cause high blood pressure.
Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body weight relative to height. You can use BMI to see whether you are underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Use the Body Mass Index Table below to find your BMI.
- Find your height in the left-hand column.
- Move across in the same row to the number closest to your weight.
- The number at the top of that column is your BMI. Check the word above your BMI to see whether you are normal weight, overweight, or obese.
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