ADA Diabetes Risk Test Calculator

questionnaire

Age

Sex

History of gestational diabetes (women only)
1 point if yes

Mother, father, sibling, or child with diabetes
1 point

High blood pressure (or on BP medication)
1 point

Physically active
0 points if active; 1 point if NOT physically active

BMI category

✓ when to use

Use for population-level T2DM screening in primary care, community settings, pharmacies, and health fairs. Like FINDRISC, it requires no blood tests and can be self-administered. Higher-risk individuals proceed to laboratory testing.

✗ when not to use

Not a diagnostic tool — a positive screen requires blood glucose or HbA1c confirmation. Developed and validated primarily in US populations. Does not include ethnicity, which independently affects diabetes risk (the ADA recommends screening at lower BMI thresholds for Asian Americans). Not suitable for patients already diagnosed with diabetes.

clinical pearls

The ADA Risk Test and FINDRISC serve similar purposes (non-lab diabetes risk screening). FINDRISC has more international validation; the ADA Risk Test is more US-focused. Use whichever is established in your practice setting.
The 'physically inactive' criterion scores 1 point — note this is reverse-scored compared to the question phrasing. Being active = 0 points; being inactive = 1 point.
ADA recommends screening all adults ≥35 for T2DM, or earlier if BMI ≥25 (≥23 in Asian Americans) with additional risk factors. The risk test can serve as the initial screening step.
Gestational diabetes history is a powerful predictor — women with prior GDM have a 35–60% lifetime risk of developing T2DM.
A score ≥5 doesn't diagnose diabetes — it identifies people who should be tested. Confirmatory testing: fasting glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL), HbA1c ≥48 mmol/mol (6.5%), or 2-hour OGTT ≥11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL).

✓ when to use

✗ when not to use

clinical pearls

The ADA Risk Test and FINDRISC serve similar purposes (non-lab diabetes risk screening). FINDRISC has more international validation; the ADA Risk Test is more US-focused. Use whichever is established in your practice setting.
The 'physically inactive' criterion scores 1 point — note this is reverse-scored compared to the question phrasing. Being active = 0 points; being inactive = 1 point.
ADA recommends screening all adults ≥35 for T2DM, or earlier if BMI ≥25 (≥23 in Asian Americans) with additional risk factors. The risk test can serve as the initial screening step.
Gestational diabetes history is a powerful predictor — women with prior GDM have a 35–60% lifetime risk of developing T2DM.
A score ≥5 doesn't diagnose diabetes — it identifies people who should be tested. Confirmatory testing: fasting glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL), HbA1c ≥48 mmol/mol (6.5%), or 2-hour OGTT ≥11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL).

ADA Diabetes Risk Test

questionnaire

✓ when to use

✗ when not to use

clinical pearls

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