CHEYENNE — A Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) official is encouraging residents to take advantage of a new national campaign to learn more about their potential risk for prediabetes.
Dr. Wendy Braund, state health officer and Public Health Division senior administrator, said prediabetes is often overlooked and misunderstood. “Simply stated, prediabetes basically means a person’s blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed with diabetes.”
“These folks may not realize they could be headed toward developing type 2 diabetes and that’s something we want them to avoid,” she said.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Medical Association (AMA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently partnered with the Ad Council to develop a national prediabetes awareness campaign. The campaign is designed to help people learn their risk of developing diabetes and take steps to avoid the condition.
A simple risk test, as well as helpful advice and information, is available online at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. The website also offers an opportunity for visitors to sign up for tips by text message.
Braund noted uncontrolled diabetes can result in medical difficulties such as blindness (retinopathy), kidney disease and nerve damage (neuropathy). Diabetes is also an important risk factor for heart disease and stroke, as well as a leading cause of amputations due to the damage the disease sometimes causes in the feet and legs.
