Members of the Hawaii State Legislature joined with the American Diabetes Association Hawaii to convey the importance of the early detection of diabetes. Lawmakers and community leaders held a press conference this week to support the Diabetes Association’s annual Alert
Members of the Hawaii State Legislature joined with the American Diabetes Association Hawaii to convey the importance of the early detection of diabetes. Lawmakers and community leaders held a press conference this week to support the Diabetes Association’s annual Alert Day and encourage Hawaii residents to take the Diabetes Risk Test.
Diabetes is a serious and potentially debilitating condition that affects a staggering portion of the American population. In the state of Hawaii, approximately 113,000 individuals have been diagnosed with diabetes, with about a quarter of those individuals unaware of their condition.
Another 363,000 individuals are pre-diabetic, where their blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. These numbers amount to about a third of the population of the state of Hawaii, emphasizing the need to properly educate the public about the prevention, risk factors and treatment of diabetes.
“The American Diabetes Association hopes that this Alert Day will encourage people to take the Diabetes Risk Test and share it with their ohana. By understanding your risk, you can take steps to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Mark E. Tofoya, President of the Hawaii Community Volunteer Leadership Board.
The online diabetes risk tests ask users to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risks for pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. The test then provides necessary information to those who are at risk for type 2 diabetes by educating them about diabetes risk factors, warning signs and complications of the disease.
