CheckUp America: The American Diabetes Association's New Campaign to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is launching a new nationwide campaign, named CheckUp America, aimed at educating Americans about type 2 diabetes and heart disease, both of which are obesity related diseases. Check Up America will use print, TV, and radio advertisements to get their message across to all Americans.

CheckUp America's primary focus is to educate Americans about risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, including obesity, high blood glucose levels, high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, low HDL good cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and inactivity. CheckUp America also educates Americans about modest lifestyle changes that will help Americans greatly reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, such as exercise and diet changes.

The CheckUp America websites cites the statistic that more than one in five Americans over 40 years of age think that critical lifestyle changes to reduce their risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes are "too hard."

For many individuals, reducing their weight by just 10-15 pounds can greatly decrease their chances of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The American Diabetes Association also encourages 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week to help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Walking is the most common form of exercise but there are many other options available.

The online version of CheckUp America includes several informational articles about reducing risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Later this year, an online risk assessment tool called My Health Adviser is planned to be included to help Americans measure their risk levels for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.