Type 2 Diabetes prevention Week: 23-29 May 2023

Find out your risk of type 2 diabetes

Finding out your risk of type 2 diabetes only takes a few minutes. It could be the most important thing you do today….

To calculate your risk we will ask you for some special category data. Special category data in this context relates to your health and ethnicity. This information will be stored in such a way that it cannot identify you. All information provided will only be used for the reasons we have described.

Before you start, grab a tape measure and scales…

Then click here to start the quiz to find out your risk… Diabetes UK – Know Your Risk of Type 2 diabetes

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition where the insulin our pancreas makes can’t work properly, or the pancreas can’t make enough insulin. This means blood glucose (sugar) levels keep rising.

With the right specialist support and treatment, it’s possible to live well and avoid health problems called diabetes complications. 

If it’s left untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to permanent damage in the body due to the build-up of sugar in the blood but this isn’t inevitable and there are ways to live well with type 2 diabetes. 

What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes? 

Some people will have all the common symptoms of diabetes, others may only have a few or may not notice them, it really depends on the individual. You might not be aware of the symptoms of diabetes so here are the most common to look out for. It’s really important to see your GP if you notice any of these:

• Toilet – going for a wee more often, especially at night. 
• Thirsty – being constantly thirsty and not being able to quench it. 
• Tired – being incredibly tired and having no energy. 
• Thinner – losing weight without trying to, or looking thinner than usual. 
• Genital itching or thrush 
• Cuts and wounds taking longer to heal 
• Blurred vision

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes

Some things can increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Because the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are not always obvious, it’s really important to be aware of these risk factors. They can include: 

• Normally, type 2 diabetes is more prevalent if you’re white and over 40, or over 25 if you’re African Caribbean, Black African, or South Asian (Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi)
• If you are living with obesity or overweight
• If your waist size is too large
• Ethnicity. You’re more at risk if you’re of African Caribbean, Black African, or South Asian (Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi) or Chinese descent
• Family history. For example, if you have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
• Medical history. For example, if you have a history of high blood pressure, heart attack or strokes. If you have had gestational diabetes, if you live with a severe mental illness or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). 

Tell me more?

Fact 1- Eating more portions of fruit and vegetables and moving more are just two of the ways to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Yet in our survey of 2,000 men, 82% of respondents were eating on average less than five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and 86% were getting under 150 minutes of exercise a week, falling short of recommended healthy levels. 

Fact 2- While type 2 diabetes is often stigmatised as a condition that people bring on themselves, the risk factors are multiple and complex, and include family history and ethnicity, as well as living with obesity or overweight, among other factors.

Fact 3- Social deprivation is also an issue. Factors such as income, education, housing, access to healthy food, as well as poorer access to healthcare, have been shown to be strongly linked to an increased risk of developing several health conditions – including obesity and type 2 diabetes. As a result, people who are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes are all-too-often less likely to be able to benefit from support to manage it.