Are you at risk?

What are the risk factors?

  • Are you 40 years of age or older?
  • Do you have a close relative (parent or sibling) who has type 2 diabetes?
  • Are you a member of a high-risk population, such as those of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, or African descent?
  • Do you have a history of gestational diabetes or prediabetes or some evidence of the complications of diabetes (such as eye, nerve or kidney problems)?
  • Do you have heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol? Are you overweight (especially around your abdomen)?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you should contact your healthcare provider and get checked for diabetes right away. If left untreated or improperly managed, diabetes can result in a variety of complications:

  • heart disease
  • kidney disease
  • eye disease
  • problems with erection (impotence)
  • nerve damage