Community Corner

Six Percent of Dakota County Adults Have Diabetes: Are You at Risk?

Six percent of Dakota County adults have the disease—and many aren't aware they have it. Tuesday's 'Diabetes Alert Day' is a good time to consider whether you're at risk.

Tuesday's Diabetes Alert Day, and the Minnesota Department of Health is urging all Minnesotans to look into whether they’re at risk for diabetes.

More than one in 20 Dakota County adults, a total of 17,298 people, have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Surveillance System. The percentage of adult Minnesotans with diabetes nearly doubled between 1994 and 2010, according to the state Department of Health. The agency estimates that 80,000 Minnesota adults may have diabetes without knowing it.

“Given the alarming increase of diabetes, we are encouraging Minnesotans to use this day to think about whether they or someone they love might have diabetes or prediabetes and not even know about it,” a news release quoted Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Ed Ehlinger. “Diabetes is a very treatable disease and it is important that everyone with diabetes takes steps to get their blood sugar under control and lead a healthier life.”

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Use the search box above to look up diabetes rates by county in 2009, the latest year available. Click here to use an interactive map from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to compare rates across the country.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health:

Find out what's happening in Inver Grove Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and often does not have symptoms. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include being overweight, being older, and for women, having had gestational diabetes during a pregnancy, and having prediabetes. People of color and American Indians also have a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Click here to take an online test that will tell you whether you are at risk for diabetes.


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