This free diabetes risk test tells you in under a minute how likely you are to have or develop type 2 diabetes. It uses four simple questions: your age, waist size, how active you are and whether your parents have diabetes. The scoring is based on the Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS), a tool built and tested specifically for South Asian people, so it fits Pakistani bodies and lifestyles better than many Western quizzes.
You don't need a blood test, a fasting sample or any equipment except a measuring tape. Your result shows a score out of 100, a risk level (low, moderate or high) and clear next steps, including which blood test to ask for and when.
Why a Diabetes Risk Test Matters So Much in Pakistan
Diabetes in Pakistan is a national health emergency. Pakistan has one of the highest diabetes rates in the world. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas, 10th edition (2021), about 33 million Pakistani adults were living with diabetes, roughly 26% of the adult population, which was the highest prevalence of any country. The IDF also estimated that more than a third of these people did not know they had it.
That last point is the real danger. Type 2 diabetes often develops silently for years. By the time someone notices symptoms, high blood sugar levels may already have started damaging the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart. A quick diabetes risk test helps you find out early, while there is still a lot you can do.
Why South Asians are at higher risk
Researchers have found several reasons why people of Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi origin get type 2 diabetes more often, and at younger ages, than many other groups:
- More belly fat at a lower weight. South Asians tend to store fat around the waist and internal organs. This "thin outside, fat inside" pattern raises insulin resistance even when BMI looks normal. That is why South Asian cut-offs for BMI and waist circumference are lower.
- Genetics and family history. A strong family history of diabetes is very common in Pakistani families, and inherited factors seem to make the body less able to handle extra sugar.
- Diet changes. Traditional meals have shifted towards white rice, maida (refined flour), fried snacks like samosa and pakora, sugary drinks, chai with two or three spoons of sugar, and mithai at every celebration.
- Less daily movement. More desk jobs, motorbikes and cars, and long hours on phones mean fewer steps than earlier generations took. Hot summers also make outdoor exercise harder.
- Diabetes appears earlier. Many South Asians develop type 2 diabetes in their 30s and 40s, roughly a decade earlier than in Western populations.
What Is the Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS)?
The Indian Diabetes Risk Score was developed by Dr V. Mohan and colleagues at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai, India, and published in 2005. It was built using data from the large Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES).
The researchers wanted a screening tool that was cheap, quick and did not need any lab test. They found that just four factors (age, waist circumference, physical activity and family history) could pick out most people with undiagnosed diabetes. The IDRS has since been tested in other South Asian groups and is widely used in community screening camps. Because Pakistanis share very similar genetics, body types and eating habits, it is a sensible fit here too.
Remember that IDRS is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. It tells you who should get a blood test sooner. Only a blood test can confirm prediabetes or diabetes.
How to Use This Calculator
Have a measuring tape ready. Using this diabetes risk calculator takes about one minute.
- Enter your age in years. The calculator places you in one of three groups: under 35, 35 to 49, or 50 and over.
- Select your sex. This is only used to choose the correct waist cut-offs, because healthy waist sizes differ for men and women.
- Enter your waist circumference. Measure midway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone (roughly at the belly button). Stand straight, breathe out normally and keep the tape snug but not tight. Prefer inches? Switch the units toggle to lb / ft-in and enter your waist in inches (36 inches = 91.4 cm).
- Choose your physical activity level: vigorous exercise or strenuous manual work; moderate exercise or moderate activity at work or home; mild exercise or light activity; or no exercise with sedentary work.
- Choose your family history of diabetes: neither parent, one parent, or both parents.
- Read your score and risk level, then follow the advice shown for your result.
This tool is meant for adults who have not already been diagnosed with diabetes. If you already have diabetes, your doctor and your regular blood sugar and HbA1c results are the right guide, not a risk score.
Diabetes Risk Test Scoring Table
Here is exactly how the calculator adds up your points. The maximum possible score is 100.
| Risk factor | Your answer | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Under 35 years | 0 |
| 35–49 years | 20 | |
| 50 years or older | 30 | |
| Waist circumference | Women under 80 cm / Men under 90 cm | 0 |
| Women 80–89 cm / Men 90–99 cm | 10 | |
| Women 90 cm or more / Men 100 cm or more | 20 | |
| Physical activity | Vigorous exercise regularly or strenuous manual work | 0 |
| Moderate exercise or moderate activity at work/home | 10 | |
| Mild exercise or light activity | 20 | |
| No exercise and sedentary work | 30 | |
| Family history of diabetes | Neither parent has diabetes | 0 |
| One parent has diabetes | 10 | |
| Both parents have diabetes | 20 |
Notice that two of the four factors, waist size and activity, are things you can change. Age and family history are fixed, but they tell you how carefully you need to manage the other two.
Why waist circumference matters more than weight
Your waist is a direct sign of belly fat, which is the type of fat most linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk. A man in Lahore can have a "normal" BMI and still carry a 95 cm waist, which already adds 10 points. If you want a fuller picture of your body shape, try our ideal weight and waist-to-height calculator, and check your BMI with South Asian cut-offs.
What Your Result Means
Because every answer is worth a multiple of 10, your total will always be a round number such as 20, 40 or 70.
| IDRS score | Risk level | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 | Low risk | Keep up healthy habits and recheck your score every year. Adults aged 35 and over should still have a blood sugar test from time to time. |
| 30–50 | Moderate risk | Start lifestyle changes now (waist, activity, diet) and get a fasting blood sugar or HbA1c test within the next year. |
| 60 or more | High risk | Get a fasting blood glucose or HbA1c test soon. Many people in this group already have prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes. |
In the original research, people scoring 60 or above were much more likely to have undiagnosed diabetes than those scoring under 30. A high score doesn't mean you definitely have diabetes. It means a blood test is worth doing soon rather than later.
Normal Sugar Level, Prediabetes and Diabetes: Reference Table
If your diabetes risk test result is moderate or high, the next step is a simple blood test. These are the standard cut-offs used by doctors worldwide, including in Pakistan.
| Test | Normal | Prediabetes | Diabetes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fasting blood sugar (after 8+ hours without food) | Below 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) | 100–125 mg/dL (5.6–6.9 mmol/L) | 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher, on two separate tests |
| HbA1c test (3-month average) | Below 5.7% | 5.7–6.4% | 6.5% or higher |
A normal sugar level when fasting is below 100 mg/dL. Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetes range. It is a warning sign, and also a big opportunity, because many people with prediabetes can bring their numbers back to normal with lifestyle changes.
A diagnosis of diabetes is normally confirmed with a repeat test unless symptoms are obvious and sugar is very high. Never diagnose yourself from a single glucometer reading at home; home meters are useful for monitoring but less accurate than a lab test.
Diabetes Symptoms to Watch For
Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at first. But if you notice any of the following, get your blood sugar checked whatever your diabetes risk test score says:
- Frequent urination, especially waking up at night to pass urine.
- Excessive thirst and a dry mouth, even when you are drinking plenty. In Pakistan's heat this is easy to blame on the weather, so pay attention if it is new or constant.
- Tiredness and fatigue that doesn't improve with rest.
- Blurred vision that comes and goes.
- Slow-healing cuts, wounds or sores, and frequent skin, gum or urine infections.
- Tingling, numbness or burning in the hands or feet.
- Unexplained weight loss, or itching around the genitals (often from thrush).
Seek urgent medical help (call 1122 or 115 in Pakistan, or your local emergency number) if someone has very high sugar with vomiting, confusion, deep fast breathing, severe drowsiness or fainting.
When to Test and Which Test to Choose
Even if you feel perfectly well, these are good rules of thumb:
- Age 35 or over: get a blood sugar test periodically, even if your score is low. Repeat every year or as your doctor advises if your score is moderate or high.
- High score (60+): test soon, within weeks rather than months.
- Moderate score (30–50): test within a year, sooner if you have symptoms.
- Younger adults: test earlier if you are overweight, have a large waist, a strong family history, high blood pressure, or a history of diabetes in pregnancy.
Fasting blood sugar vs HbA1c test
Fasting blood sugar (FBS) is cheap and available at almost every lab in Pakistan. You must not eat or drink anything except water for at least 8 hours, so it is usually done first thing in the morning.
The HbA1c test shows your average blood sugar over the past two to three months. You don't need to fast, so it is more convenient. However, it costs more and can be less reliable if you have anaemia or certain blood conditions, which are common in Pakistan, especially among women. Your doctor may also suggest an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in some cases.
Since high blood pressure often travels with diabetes, it is worth checking your numbers with our blood pressure checker at the same time.
How to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes: What the Evidence Says
The best news about type 2 diabetes risk is how much you can change it. The landmark US Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) followed adults with prediabetes and found that a lifestyle programme, aiming for 7% weight loss and 150 minutes of activity a week, cut the chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% over about three years. Similar programmes in India, Finland and China have shown comparable benefits. Here is how to apply that research to everyday life in Pakistan.
1. Lose 5–7% of your body weight
You don't need to reach a "perfect" weight. If you weigh 80 kg (176 lb), losing just 4 to 5.5 kg (9 to 12 lb) can make a real difference to your blood sugar. Focus especially on shrinking your waist. Use our calorie and protein calculator to find a sensible daily target for slow, steady weight loss of 0.25–0.5 kg a week.
2. Move at least 150 minutes a week
That is about 30 minutes, five days a week, of brisk walking or similar activity, which matches WHO physical activity guidelines. Muscle-strengthening exercise twice a week (bodyweight squats, push-ups, resistance bands or gym training) also helps your muscles use glucose better. In summer, walk early morning or after Maghrib, or try a mall or indoor space.
3. Walk after meals
A 10–15 minute walk after lunch or dinner helps lower the rise in blood sugar after eating. The old habit of a "chahal-qadmi" after dinner is genuinely good science. It is one of the easiest habits to start today.
4. Cut refined carbs, sugary chai and mithai
- Reduce sugar in chai gradually, from two spoons to one, then half. Better still, aim for no sugar.
- Swap cold drinks, packaged juices and sweetened lassi for water, plain lassi or lemon water without sugar.
- Save mithai, halwa and desserts for occasional celebrations, not every day.
- Eat smaller portions of white rice and naan, and choose whole-wheat (chakki) atta roti instead of maida.
- Limit fried snacks like samosa, pakora and parathas fried in ghee.
5. Eat more fibre
Fill half your plate with vegetables (sabzi, salad), and add daal, chana, lobia and other beans regularly. Choose whole fruits over juice. Fibre slows down how quickly sugar enters your blood and keeps you full for longer. The WHO healthy diet fact sheet is a good general guide.
6. Sleep 7–9 hours
Short or poor sleep makes the body more resistant to insulin and increases cravings for sweet and fatty food. Aim for a regular bedtime and keep phones out of bed. If you snore loudly or feel sleepy all day, ask a doctor about sleep apnoea, which is linked to diabetes.
7. Quit smoking
Smokers are significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-smokers. This includes cigarettes, shisha and naswar. Quitting also greatly lowers your risk of heart disease, which is the biggest danger for people with diabetes.
Diabetes and heart health are closely connected, so once you've done this test, check where you stand overall with our Heart Health Score.
A Note on Supplements and Daily Wellness
Many people in Pakistan add natural products such as shilajit, herbs or honey to their daily routine for general wellness. No supplement, including shilajit, is a substitute for diet, activity, a proper diagnosis or prescribed treatment, and no product should be relied on to manage blood sugar.
If you already take diabetes medication or insulin, or have kidney, liver or heart problems, talk to your doctor before starting any supplement, because some can interact with medicines or affect test results. Our guide to shilajit side effects and precautions in Pakistan explains who should be careful.
Important Limits of This Diabetes Risk Test
- Not for people already diagnosed. If you have diabetes, follow your doctor's plan and monitor your blood sugar and HbA1c regularly.
- Type 2 diabetes only. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that usually starts suddenly, often in children and young adults, and is not linked to lifestyle. It needs urgent medical care and insulin. This score cannot predict it.
- Not for pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is diabetes that appears during pregnancy. Pregnant women are screened with special blood tests (usually a glucose tolerance test) arranged by their doctor or midwife. Women who had gestational diabetes have a higher lifelong risk of type 2 diabetes and should be tested regularly afterwards.
- Not a replacement for blood tests. A low score doesn't rule out diabetes. If you have symptoms, get tested.
- Other risk factors aren't counted. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, PCOS, previous gestational diabetes and certain medicines (such as long-term steroids) also raise risk. Mention these to your doctor.
For more background, see the WHO diabetes fact sheet, the CDC guide to diabetes risk factors, the NHS type 2 diabetes overview, and the NIDDK summary of the Diabetes Prevention Program. You can find all our free tools on the Chitral House health calculators hub.
Disclaimer
This diabetes risk test is for education and awareness only. It is not a medical diagnosis and does not replace a blood test or advice from a qualified doctor. If your score is moderate or high, or you have any symptoms of diabetes, please see a doctor and get your blood sugar checked. In an emergency, call 1122 or 115 in Pakistan, or your local emergency number.
