Wyoming diabetes prevention efforts focus on prediabetes

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) - Because of the strong link between prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is encouraging people to learn more about their personal prediabetes risk through a simple screening option.

Amber Nolte, Chronic Disease Prevention Program manager with WDH, estimated one in three Wyoming adults is at high risk of prediabetes, which is when a person’s blood sugar is high but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

“Unfortunately, an estimated 80 percent of people who already have prediabetes or who are at risk don’t know it,” Nolte said. “We’re asking them to take a simple online screening test with just a handful of questions to find out about their personal prediabetes risk. Prediabetes has no obvious outward symptoms, making screening through options such as this test more important.”

The prediabetes risk test can be found online at https://www.findoutwy.org/.

“The good news is prediabetes can often be reversible,” Nolte said. “In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can greatly improve your chance of preventing type 2 diabetes. And if people find they are at risk, we also want to help give them the tools to do something about it.”

More information about both in person and online diabetes prevention program options available in Wyoming is available from WDH at https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/cancer-and-chronic-disease-prevention-unit/chronicdisease/diabetes-prevention-program/.

“Prediabetes should be viewed as a serious health condition,” Nolte said.

Type 2 diabetes can lead to higher risk of serious health problems, including:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Blindness
• Kidney failure
• Loss of toes, feet or legs

Risk factors for diabetes include being 45 or older, family history of type 2 diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, being overweight or obese, having high blood pressure or having high cholesterol.