The media kingpins at "O" Magazine have proved their standards of greatness in social policy, once again. The masters of the Oprah universe are posing the question: diabetes - are you at risk?

The public service comes equipped with eye-opening statistics on how to slow down, and even in some cases, prevent the onset of diabetes. According to the article, the trick is to get a blood glucose test every three years starting at age 45. Of course, additional risk factors like high blood pressure, poor triglycerides, hormone imbalances, ethnicity, and siblings or parents with diabetes can increase the need to begin checking earlier than the age of 45. No matter what your age, if you notice excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme and persistent hunger, or unexplained weight loss despite overeating, get your blood glucose measured. You may already be diabetic. Other symptoms include fatigue, recurrent yeast infections, slow-healing sores, and blurry vision.

If your blood sugar indicates that you're headed for diabetes, there's a lot you can do. In a study conducted over several years, prediabetics who exercised at moderate intensity for 30 minutes five times a week and dropped between 5 to 7 percent of their body weight, cut their risk of the disease by 58 percent. This approach was nearly twice as effective as taking medication, which mainly helped participants who were younger than 45 and extremely obese. If half of the Oprah-watching population took heed to the warning are you at risk - Oprah might single-handedly pump the brakes on the diabetes epidemic. She didn't become the most successful female talk show host in American history for nothing!