Diabetes among Americans is increasing at a rapid pace, and people of all ages can get a diagnosis. While type 2 diabetes most often develops in adults over 45, it’s becoming more common among kids and teens.
At its simplest, diabetes is a serious health condition that affects how your body converts the food you eat into energy. (Learn more about the different types here.)
As of January 2022, the CDC estimates that more than 130 million adults in the United States live with diabetes or prediabetes. On a population level, poverty directly correlates to higher rates of diabetes. Due to socioeconomic and environmental factors, Native American, Latino and Black populations are more likely to develop type 2 diagnoses. In 2020, it was the eighth-highest cause of death in the United States.
Yet despite how common diabetes is, screening for the disease is typically under-discussed. Let’s break it down.
What are the screening guidelines for diabetes?
Since diabetes symptoms can be subtle or go unnoticed, it’s easy to develop diabetes without even knowing you have it. If you don’t already schedule annual exams with your primary care doctor, get one on the books as soon as you can.
The American Diabetes Association recently dropped new screening guidance recommending that all people ages 35 to 70, regardless of risk factors, should get screened for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes through a blood glucose test, at least every three years.
The ADA recommends all pregnant people get screened for gestational diabetes before 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Furthermore, the group encourages anyone who is trying to get pregnant to test for any type of diabetes. Anyone with an unplanned pregnancy should get screened during their first prenatal visit. There are currently no guidelines for screening kids and teens.
You can get a test with your primary care provider or ob-gyn, depending on which type of diabetes you’re testing for. If you do have diabetes, you’ll likely be referred to an endocrinologist, who specializes in the body system that produces hormones such as insulin.
Can I avoid getting diabetes?
Yes and no. There’s no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Researchers still aren’t sure what causes it, but it’s likely a combination of genetics and environmental triggers, like viruses.
Healthy lifestyle habits, like a balanced diet and consistent exercise, can help lower your chances of developing several common types of diabetes, like prediabetes, gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes. “We could all benefit from eating like we have diabetes,” says Mary Ellen Phipps, a registered dietitian nutritionist who has type 1 diabetes. She recommends adding extra fiber into your diet, through plenty of vegetables.
Physical activity can also make your body use insulin more effectively. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting a minimum of 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise every week.