Newswise — Get screened for prediabetes! That’s the message from American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), as part of the national Diabetes Alert Day on Tuesday, March 26. More than 30 million adults live with diabetes and another 84.1 million, or nearly one in three, have prediabetes, a high-risk state characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. Nine out of 10 don’t even know they are at risk. By getting screened, talking to a healthcare provider, and making positive lifestyle changes, individuals can reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by more than 50 percent, and adults aged 65+ can reduce their risk by more than 70 percent.

AADE has been a national leader in Type 2 diabetes prevention, working alongside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and with partners across the country to scale the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP). A key component of the National DPP is a year-long lifestyle change program to teach individuals how to improve their health, and reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes, by losing 5 to 7% of their body weight. The CDC’s lifestyle change program provides guidance and support through a trained lifestyle coach and a peer group to help individuals achieve and maintain their health goals. Group participants learn to eat healthy, get active and manage stress, working with lifestyle change groups in their work place, faith community or local health center.  

To learn their prediabetes risk, individuals can take a simple online screening at doihaveprediabetes.org. Once they know their risk, they can talk to a healthcare professional to connect with a CDC lifestyle change program offered in their community or online. Adults who receive Medicare can participate in a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program covered through Medicare Part B at no cost. Additionally, through a CDC-funded opportunity, AADE has partnered with Omada Health to offer a free online lifestyle change program to commercial truck drivers, school bus drivers and other commercial drivers’ license holders.

About the American Association of Diabetes Educators AADE is an interdisciplinary professional membership organization dedicated to improving prediabetes, diabetes and cardiometabolic care through innovative education, management and support. With more than 14,000 professional members including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, exercise specialists, and others, AADE has a vast network of practitioners working with people who have, are affected by or are at risk for diabetes. Learn more at www.diabeteseducator.org, or visit us on Facebook (American Association of Diabetes Educators), Twitter (@AADEdiabetes) and Instagram (@AADEdiabetes).

MEDIA CONTACT
Register for reporter access to contact details