Early stages of diabetes have few symptoms. If left untreated, however, diabetes can cause serious damage that can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and limb amputation. Fortunately, when detected and treated early, diabetes can be controlled.
Take this brief quiz to help determine if you are at risk for diabetes:
- Are you overweight?
- Do you lead a sedentary lifestyle?
- Are you over the age of 45?
- Are you a woman who has delivered a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth?
- Are you black, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian-American?
- Do you have a family history of diabetes?
- Do you have high blood pressure?
- Is your HDL cholesterol 50 or lower and/or is your triglyceride level 250 or higher?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, ask your doctor if you should be checked for diabetes.