NU Government – Diabetes: Who is at risk?

01 November 2018 

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes happens when the body cannot properly control blood sugar levels, leading to serious health problems when not carefully managed.

If you have a close family member suffering from diabetes, if you suffer from high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or you are overweight, you can be at a higher risk for diabetes. Signs may include:

• feeling thirsty but not able to quench it;
• going to the bathroom more often;
• feeling unusually weak, tired or sleepy;
• losing weight without trying; or
• blurry vision.

See your health care provider if you have any of these signs. Anyone over the age of 40 should be screened for diabetes every three years, whether they have symptoms or not. A simple blood test can tell you if you have diabetes.

For more information on diabetes and healthy living, please visit https://livehealthy.gov.nu.ca/en/food.

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Media Contact:

Gavin Sutton
Communications Specialist
Department of Health
867-975-5949
GSutton@gov.nu.ca

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