The model was developed in more than 2,900 Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white adults in San Antonio, Texas, and predicted diabetes as well as an oral glucose tolerance test. Knowing your risk early helps: weight loss and activity reduce progression to diabetes by more than half in high-risk people.
How to use the Diabetes Risk Calculator
- Sex
- Age
- Ethnicity
- Parent or sibling with diabetes
- Weight
- Height
- Systolic blood pressure
- Fasting glucose
- HDL cholesterol
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Enter your details and recent lab results. The calculator combines them in the published logistic regression and converts the result into a percentage risk.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Sex | Choose one: Male, Female |
| Age | In years |
| Ethnicity | Choose one: Non-Hispanic white, Mexican-American / Hispanic |
| Parent or sibling with diabetes | Choose one: No, Yes |
| Weight | Units: kg, lb, st, g |
| Height | Units: cm, in, m, ft, mm |
| Systolic blood pressure | In mmHg |
| Fasting glucose | Units: mg/dL, mmol/L |
| HDL cholesterol | Units: mg/dL, mmol/L |
Example values
How the main result changes when Age changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Age (years) | 7.5-year risk of type 2 diabetes (%) |
|---|---|
| 25 | 20 |
| 37.5 | 26.2 |
| 50 | 33.5 |
| 62.5 | 41.7 |
| 75 | 50.4 |
Health note: this calculator is for education and screening only and is not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Discuss your results with a qualified clinician.
Formula
Risk = 1 ÷ (1 + e^−x)
x = −13.415 + 0.028·age + 0.661·sex(F = 1) + 0.412·Hispanic + 0.079·fasting glucose (mg/dL) + 0.018·systolic BP − 0.039·HDL (mg/dL) + 0.07·BMI + 0.481·family history
Worked example
Inputs — Sex: Female; Age: 50 years; Ethnicity: Non-Hispanic white; Parent or sibling with diabetes: No; Weight: 85 kg; Height: 165 cm; Systolic blood pressure: 130 mmHg; Fasting glucose: 100 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol: 45 mg/dL.
Results — BMI = 31.2; 7.5-year risk of type 2 diabetes = 33.5 %.
Key terms
- Logistic regression
- A model that converts a weighted sum of risk factors into a probability.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lower my risk?
Yes – losing 5–7% of body weight and 150 minutes of activity a week cut diabetes risk by 58% in the Diabetes Prevention Program.
Who should be screened for diabetes?
The ADA recommends testing all adults from age 35, and earlier with overweight plus another risk factor.
Does the model apply to other ethnic groups?
It was developed in Mexican-American and white adults; risk may be underestimated in Asian, Black and Indigenous people.