Am I at Risk?

Am I at risk of developing diabetes?

1 in 3 people in Maine have prediabetes and most don't know it. Prediabetes is when a person has a higher than normal blood glucose level, but not high enough to be diabetes. This elevated blood glucose increases the risk of the person developing type 2 diabetes, along with heart disease and stroke.

Diabetes is a serious chronic condition that can have long-term health and financial impacts. You can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by making healthy lifestyle choices.

Take the risk test

Score of 5 or above

Follow-up with your doctor
Find and enroll in a National DPP program here

Score lower than 5

Continue to eat healthy
Get regular physical activity
Manage stress

Healthy lifestyle choices

An eating plan that helps manage your weight includes a variety of healthy foods. Add an array of colors to your plate and think of it as eating the rainbow. Dark, leafy greens, oranges, and tomatoes—even fresh herbs—are loaded with vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Adding frozen peppers, broccoli, or onions to stews and omelets gives them a quick and convenient boost of color and nutrients.

Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
Include a variety of protein foods such as seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, nuts, and seeds.
Keep low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugar
Stay within your daily calorie needs

For more information: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 or USDA’s MyPlate Plan

Adding physical activity and movement into your day can improve your health and reduce your risk of developing diabetes. Any amount is good - but aim for at least 30-minutes a day.To learn more about the benefits of physical activity: What's your move?

Find additional resources on how to add physical activity to your routine here: Adding Physical Activity to Your Life | Physical Activity

For more information and help on quitting any form of tobacco visit Quit Smoking | Quit Vaping |The QuitLink

Drinking too much alcohol can harm your health: Drinking too much alcohol can harm your health. Learn the facts

Not enough sleep has been linked to development and poor management of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression. Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep daily. Do You Get Enough Sleep?

Here is more information on How You Can Prevent Chronic Diseases.

This website was supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cooperative Agreement Number DP-18-1815. Contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the U.S. CDC.