Join the American Diabetes Association’s Million Challenge!

Are you up for the challenge? Starting March 22 and ending April 22, the American Diabetes Association is urging Americans to Join the Million Challenge by taking the Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. This short test uses simple questions on weight, age, family history, and other risk factors for diabetes to determine a person’s risk for the disease. High-risk individuals are encouraged to talk with a healthcare professional about steps they can take to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.

Nearly 30% of the 25.8 million Americans with diabetes do not know that they have the disease and an estimated 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes — a condition characterized by higher than normal blood glucose levels and is associated with much higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes are important to delay or prevent its complications, such as kidney failure, heart disease, amputations, and blindness.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include family history, obesity, physical inactivity, history of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Ethnicity is a factor, too: Asians, African Americans, and Hispanics develop the disease at higher rates.

While family history and environmental risk factors are important pieces of the puzzle, genetics also plays a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. 23andMe has updated our Established Research report on Type 2 Diabetes to provide customers with more information on their genetic risk for type 2 diabetes, which can be used to complement the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Risk Test.

(23andMe customers can view the updated Established Research report on Type 2 Diabetes in their accounts.)

Knowing your genetic risk along with family history and environmental risk can help you make informed decisions with a healthcare professional to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. So after you take a peek at our updated Established Research report on Type 2 Diabetes, Join the Million Challenge and take the Diabetes Risk Test — it only takes a few minutes and it could save your life!

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Join the American Diabetes Association’s Million Challenge!

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Personalized medicine from Sciencedaily