DOH: Know Your Risk, Prevent Diabetes

The state Department of Health is encouraging adults in Hawaiʻi to know their risk in an effort to prevent diabetes.

According to the department, more than half of all adults in Hawaiʻi have diabetes or prediabetes. Both conditions cause higher-than-normal blood sugar levels that can lead to serious health problems, department official say.

“More alarming is that most people with prediabetes do not know that they have it,” according to the DOH.

To find out if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, there is a diabetes risk test offered online at PreventDiabetesHawaii.com. Participants are invited to discuss their results with a healthcare provider.

If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the department provided the following steps to lower your risk:

• Increase your physical activity to at least 150 minutes each week—even short bouts of activity can add up throughout the day
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Join a Diabetes Prevention Program

When joining a Diabetes Prevention Program, participants are paired with a lifestyle coach who will give tips to eat healthy, manage stress, and be more physically active. Peer support from other program participants can also help to create lasting lifestyle change.

Diabetes Prevention Program sites are located across the state with some providers offering an online option. To locate an online provider or a location near you, go to PreventDiabetesHawaii.com and click on “Find a Diabetes Prevention Program.”