Every year on the fourth Tuesday of March, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) marks Diabetes Alert Day — a national call to find out your diabetes risk before it becomes a diagnosis. This year, that day falls on March 24. The good news? You can get started in under a minute.  

Take the 60-Second Diabetes Risk Test

The ADA’s free 60-second online quiz is the easiest first step you can take. It asks seven simple questions — things like your age, weight, family history and how active you are. No needles. No appointment. No cost. 

At the end, you’ll get a score that tells you whether your risk is low, moderate or high. You can take it right now at diabetes.org/diabetes-risk-test. 

What Is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal — but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 98 million American adults have prediabetes. That’s nearly 1 in 3 people. And about 80% of them don’t know it. 

Here’s the important part: prediabetes is not a life sentence. It is a warning sign — and a window of opportunity. With the right changes, you can prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes altogether.  

What Are the Diabetes Risk Factors? 

Your 60-second test score is shaped by several factors that are known to raise diabetes risk. These include:  

• Being age 45 or older 

• Having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes 

• Being overweight or having a larger waist size 

• Being physically active fewer than three times a week 

• Having had gestational diabetes or given birth to a baby over 9 pounds 

• Being African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian American or Pacific Islander 

Having one or more of these factors does not mean you have diabetes. It means it’s worth talking to your doctor. 

Understanding the Diabetes Blood Tests 

If your risk test score comes back moderate or high, the next step is a blood test ordered by your doctor. There are three common options:  

• A1C Test** — Measures your average blood sugar over the past two to three months. No fasting required. A result of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes. 

• Fasting Plasma Glucose Test** — Checks your blood sugar after you haven’t eaten for at least eight hours. A result of 100 to 125 mg/dL suggests prediabetes.  

• Oral Glucose Tolerance Test** — Measures blood sugar before and two hours after drinking a sugary solution. A result of 140 to 199 mg/dL falls in the prediabetes range.  

Your doctor can help you decide which test is right for you. Any one of these tests can give you the clarity you need to take action. 

What to Do If You’re at Risk 

Finding out you’re at risk can feel scary. But knowing is far better than not knowing. Here are four simple steps to take:  

1. Take the 60-second test at diabetes.org/diabetes-risk-test and save or print your results. 
2. Talk to your doctor about which blood test makes sense based on your risk score and health history. 
3. Make small, steady changes. Research shows that losing just 5% to 7% of your body weight and adding 150 minutes of moderate activity per week can cut your risk of Type 2 diabetes in half.
4. Look into a prevention program. The CDC-recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) connects you with trained coaches who support healthy lifestyle changes in a group setting. Many are available online. Click here for more information. 

Natividad Is Here to Help 

You don’t have to figure this out alone. If your 60-second quiz results concern you, call your Natividad primary care provider to schedule a conversation about diabetes screening. Or, if you need a primary card provider, Natividad Medical Group is accepting new patients. Early action is the most powerful tool you have. 

Tuesday, March 24 is Diabetes Alert Day. Join our Diabetes Education Team in the Main Lobby at Natividad from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, speak to a dietitian and find out your diabetes risk.