Are you at risk?

Could you have diabetes and not know it? Take this test to see if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes:

Diabetes Questionaire

Diabetes Questionaire
m
Please use a decimal value e.g 1.78
kg

Slightly elevated: estimated 4% chance of developing the disease

Low: estimated 1% chance of developing the disease

Moderate: estimated 17% chance of developing the disease

High: estimated 33% of developing the disease

Very High: Estimated 50% chance of developing the disease

You can’t do anything about your age or your genetic predisposition. On the other hand, the rest of the fac¬tors predisposing to diabetes, such as overweightness, abdominal obesity, sedentary lifestyle, eating habits and smoking, are up to you. Your lifestyle choices can completely prevent type 2 diabetes or at least delay its onset until a much greater age. If there is diabetes in your family, you should be care¬ful not to put on weight over the years. Growth of the waistline, in particular, increases the risk of diabetes, whereas regular moderate physical activity will lower the risk. You should also pay attention to your diet: take care to eat plenty of fibre-rich cereal products and vegetables every day. Omit excess hard fats from your diet and fa¬vour soft vegetable fats.Early stages of type 2 diabetes seldom cause any symptoms. If you scored 12–14 points in the Risk Test, you would be well advised to seriously consider your physical activity and eating habits and pay attention to your weight, to prevent yourself from developing diabetes. Please contact a public-health nurse or your own doctor for further guidance and tests.If you scored 15 points or more in the Risk Test, you should have your blood glucose measured (both fast¬ing value and value after a dose of glucose or a meal) to determine if you have diabetes without symptoms.  BODY-MASS INDEXThe body-mass index is used to assess whether a person is normal weight or not. The index is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by the square of body height (m). For example, if your height is 165 cm and your weight 70 kg, your body-mass index will be 70/(1.65 x 1.65), or 25.7.If your body-mass index is 25–30, you will benefit from losing weight; at least you should take care that your weight doesn’t increase beyond this. If your body-mass index is higher than 30, the adverse health effects of obesity will start to show, and it will be essential to lose weight.

You can’t do anything about your age or your genetic predisposition. On the other hand, the rest of the fac­tors predisposing to diabetes, such as overweightness, abdominal obesity, sedentary lifestyle, eating habits and smoking, are up to you. Your lifestyle choices can completely prevent type 2 diabetes or at least delay its onset until a much greater age.If there is diabetes in your family, you should be care­ful not to put on weight over the years. Growth of the waistline, in particular, increases the risk of diabetes, whereas regular moderate physical activity will lower the risk. You should also pay attention to your diet: take care to eat plenty of fibre-rich cereal products and vegetables every day. Omit excess hard fats from your diet and fa­vour soft vegetable fats.Early stages of type 2 diabetes seldom cause any symptoms. If you scored 12–14 points in the Risk Test, you would be well advised to seriously consider your physical activity and eating habits and pay attention to your weight, to prevent yourself from developing diabetes. Please contact a public-health nurse or your own doctor for further guidance and tests.If you scored 15 points or more in the Risk Test, you should have your blood glucose measured (both fast­ing value and value after a dose of glucose or a meal) to determine if you have diabetes without symptoms. BODY-MASS INDEXThe body-mass index is used to assess whether a person is normal weight or not. The index is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by the square of body height (m). For example, if your height is 165 cm and your weight 70 kg, your body-mass index will be 70/(1.65 x 1.65), or 25.7.If your body-mass index is 25–30, you will benefit from losing weight; at least you should take care that your weight doesn’t increase beyond this. If your body-mass index is higher than 30, the adverse health effects of obesity will start to show, and it will be essential to lose weight.

You can’t do anything about your age or your genetic predisposition. On the other hand, the rest of the fac¬tors predisposing to diabetes, such as overweightness, abdominal obesity, sedentary lifestyle, eating habits and smoking, are up to you. Your lifestyle choices can completely prevent type 2 diabetes or at least delay its onset until a much greater age. If there is diabetes in your family, you should be care¬ful not to put on weight over the years. Growth of the waistline, in particular, increases the risk of diabetes, whereas regular moderate physical activity will lower the risk. You should also pay attention to your diet: take care to eat plenty of fibre-rich cereal products and vegetables every day. Omit excess hard fats from your diet and fa¬vour soft vegetable fats.Early stages of type 2 diabetes seldom cause any symptoms. If you scored 12–14 points in the Risk Test, you would be well advised to seriously consider your physical activity and eating habits and pay attention to your weight, to prevent yourself from developing diabetes. Please contact a public-health nurse or your own doctor for further guidance and tests.If you scored 15 points or more in the Risk Test, you should have your blood glucose measured (both fast¬ing value and value after a dose of glucose or a meal) to determine if you have diabetes without symptoms. BODY-MASS INDEXThe body-mass index is used to assess whether a person is normal weight or not. The index is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by the square of body height (m). For example, if your height is 165 cm and your weight 70 kg, your body-mass index will be 70/(1.65 x 1.65), or 25.7.If your body-mass index is 25–30, you will benefit from losing weight; at least you should take care that your weight doesn’t increase beyond this. If your body-mass index is higher than 30, the adverse health effects of obesity will start to show, and it will be essential to lose weight.

WHERE TO GET HELP

The first point of contact for screening for diabetes mellitus in Botswana will be the local clinics or private surgeries. In Botswana, there is a clinic within the 5 km radius in towns, cities and villages. Specialized diabetes care can be accessed through our primary and district hospitals around Botswana.There is specialized clinic in children with diabetes and other hormonal disorders at Princess Marina Hospital. 

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