What Does Your Risk Score for Diabetes Mean?

Your diabetes risk score is a tool that estimates how likely you are to develop diabetes in the next ten years(7). This score considers several factors that influence your risk, such as your weight, blood pressure, lipid, and blood sugar levels. A higher score indicates a greater risk of developing diabetes. By knowing your score, you and your doctor can work together to take proactive steps to lower your risk. This might include making lifestyle changes such as adopting a healthier diet, increasing physical activity, losing weight, and, if necessary, starting medications to help control your blood sugar levels or medications to assist with weight loss (3, 5). Understanding where you stand compared to others your age can empower you to take control of your health and make informed decisions that could prevent or delay the onset and progression of diabetes (2, 3). This score is the most accurate known way to measure your future risk of diabetes (4). Since it measures future diabetes risk, it is not assessed or meaningful if you already have diabetes to begin with (4, 7).

What Does Your Risk Score for Cardiovascular Disease Mean?

Your cardiovascular disease risk score indicates how likely you are to experience heart problems, such as a heart attack or stroke, over a ten-year period (4). This score is calculated based on several important factors, including your age, BMI, blood pressure, blood sugars, cholesterol levels, need for high blood pressure medicines, and smoking status (1, 4, 6). A higher score means you have a higher risk of developing heart disease (4). Knowing your risk score is important because it helps you and your doctor decide on the best ways to lower that risk and how aggressive that intervention should be. This might include making lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet, exercising more, quitting smoking, taking medications to lower your blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol, or certain weight loss medications (3, 5). In this way, understanding your score can guide you in making decisions that could protect your heart health and reduce the chances of serious cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke (4, 5). Since it measures future risk of cardiovascular disease events, it is not assessed or meaningful if you already have had a heart attack or stroke (1, 4, 6). If you have had a heart attack or stroke, CMDS has not been validated to be able to predict the risk of a second or future event (1, 4, 6).

How do social determinants of health impact cardiometabolic disease?

Where you live, your income, and your access to healthcare can affect your risk for heart disease and diabetes. People with fewer resources often have higher risks because they may not have access to healthy foods, safe places to exercise, or good medical care (1).

What role do genetics play in cardiometabolic disease?

Your family history can affect your risk for heart disease and diabetes. If these conditions run in your family, you might have a higher risk, but lifestyle changes can still make a big difference (5).