Nearly 100 million people in the United States are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Three US health agencies are going public to warn the community that nearly 100 million people in the United States are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

However, prediabetes is preventable and society needs to take precautions in the face of the alarming number of diabetics in the future, said the American Medical Association (AMA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advertising Council.

In the United States, about 88 million Americans, more than 1 in 3, live with prediabetes, and more than 84% do not even know they have it.

Prediabetes can increase an individual’s risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke. Research shows that once people are aware of their disease, they are more likely to make necessary long-term lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy, controlling weight, and being active, which can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic health condition that poses a high risk of complications for those who develop COVID-19. A recent study showed that type 2 diabetes is one of the major comorbidities associated with critical cases and deaths from COVID-19.

That’s why the AMA, CDC, and Ad Council have released a series of new public service announcements that take a serious look at prediabetes, a condition that, if left unchecked, often leads to type 2 diabetes.

As part of the “Do I Have Prediabetes?” campaign New public service announcements “Change the Result” are raising awareness that prediabetes should not be taken lightly and that it can be reversed.

The Change Outcome campaign includes print, radio, billboard and digital banner support materials comparing prediabetes risks to less likely events.

“Life sometimes gives us the opportunity to make small changes that can have profound effects on the course of our health and our lives,” said Christopher Holiday, MD, director of diabetes translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Diabetes affects all parts of the body and can lead to a series of negative health outcomes, greatly detrimental to people’s quality of life. A diagnosis of prediabetes raises the alarm and lets them know that they need to change course and seize the opportunity to prevent this devastating disease before it is too late.”

Gerald E. Harmon, president of the AMA, noted that raising awareness about prediabetes and highlighting the importance of educating people about the risk of acquiring it is critical, especially now that the COVID-19 pandemic is increasing the negative health risks associated with chronic health conditions. .

“With our latest campaign, we seek to help the millions of Americans living with prediabetes find out if they have the disease. Anyone who discovers, through online testing, that they may be at risk of developing prediabetes, should see their doctor immediately. To confirm a pre-diabetes diagnosis and to know that making lifestyle changes can help them stay healthy.

The new multi-platform communications campaign shows how prediabetes can be reversed through individual lifestyle changes and encourages the public to visit DoIHavePrediabetes.org (PodriaTenerPrediabetes.org in Spanish) where they can take a one-minute risk test to determine if they are at risk for prediabetes.