type 2 diabetes: screening for adults
overview
doctors follow guidelines from experts to decide when to test adults for type 2 diabetes. talk with your doctor about your risk for type 2 diabetes and how often you need to be tested.
the canadian task force on preventive health care (ctfphc) recommends using a risk calculator such as the canadian diabetes risk questionnaire (canrisk) to determine your level of risk. go to www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/en/canrisk to use the canrisk tool. the ctfphc recommends:footnote 1
- not testing if you have low to moderate risk.
- testing every 3 to 5 years with an a1c test if you are at high risk.
- yearly testing with an a1c test if you are at very high risk.
diabetes canada recommends testing every 3 years if you are age 40 or older. if you are at very high risk, diabetes canada recommends that you get tested more often and/or begin testing at a younger age. you are at risk for diabetes if:footnote 2
- you have a parent or sibling who has type 2 diabetes.
- you are of indigenous, african, hispanic, asian, or south asian descent.
- you have prediabetes. this means your blood sugar is above normal but is not high enough to be diabetes.
- you have high blood pressure.
- you have high cholesterol or other fats in your blood.
- you had diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes) or you have delivered a baby who weighed 4 kilograms or more.
- you have polycystic ovary syndrome.
- you are overweight (especially around your middle).
- you have vascular disease, such as heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, or peripheral arterial disease (pad).
- you have a skin problem called acanthosis nigricans.
- you have schizophrenia.
references
citations
- canadian task force on preventive health care (2012). recommendations on screening for type 2 diabetes in adults. canadian medical association journal, 184(15): 1687–1696. also available online: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/15/1687.full.
- diabetes canada clinical practice guidelines expert committee, et al. (2018). screening for diabetes in adults. canadian journal of diabetes, 42(suppl 1): s16–s19. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.004. accessed october 15, 2018.
credits
current as of: october 2, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
current as of: october 2, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
canadian task force on preventive health care (2012). recommendations on screening for type 2 diabetes in adults. canadian medical association journal, 184(15): 1687–1696. also available online: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/15/1687.full.
diabetes canada clinical practice guidelines expert committee, et al. (2018). screening for diabetes in adults. canadian journal of diabetes, 42(suppl 1): s16–s19. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.004. accessed october 15, 2018.
