Diabetes is a serious disease that can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other complications if it isn’t controlled.
This quiz can help you find out how much you know about preventing this chronic condition.
1. Diabetes can’t be prevented.
True False
2. The steps needed to prevent diabetes are complicated and difficult.
True False
3. People who have prediabetes always progress to diabetes.
True False
4. People who are at high risk of developing diabetes can often prevent the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their weight.
True False
5. Eating healthy foods that are low in fat, especially saturated and trans fats, can reduce diabetes risk.
True False
6. For physical activity to lower your diabetes risk, you must exercise at a strenuous level for more than one hour every day.
True False
7. Having high blood pressure increases diabetes risk.
True False
8. Having relatives with diabetes doesn’t increase diabetes risk.
True False
9. Some ethnic groups have a higher risk for the disease.
True False
10. There’s no way to predict someone’s risk for diabetes.
True False
Answers
1. False—it’s possible, and studies have shown that it works
2. False—small lifestyle changes can make a big difference.
3. False—diabetes can still be prevented or delayed.
4. True—if you weigh 200 pounds, losing just 10 to 14 pounds could make a difference.
5. True—to do so, limit fried foods, whole-milk dairy products, cakes, cookies, pies, and solid fats such as lard, shortening, and stick margarines.
6. False—as little as 20 minutes every day of moderate aerobic activity, such as walking or biking, could lower your risk.
7. True—your risk rises if it’s 140/90 or higher.
8. False—people with a parent or sibling with the disease have an increased risk.
9. True—African-Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic Americans are at extra risk.
10. False—you can find an assessment tool to help predict your risk at the American Diabetes Association’s website.
For more information on diabetes, talk to your Rite Aid Pharmacist.
Sources
“Be Active.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/beactive.htm.
“Eat Right.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/eatright.htm.
“Pre-Diabetes.” American Diabetes Association. www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/pre-diabetes/.
“Take Steps to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes.” National Health Information Center, healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/take-steps-to-prevent-type-2-diabetes.
“Prevent Diabetes.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/prevent.htm.
“Your Game Plan to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, October 2008. healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/take-steps-to-prevent-type-2-diabetes