Hip-Hop Legend Rev Run and Wife Justine Simmons Unveil Experiential Photo Exhibit with Novo Nordisk Depicting the Millions of Americans at Risk of Diabetes

Traveling Exhibit to Bring to Life the Faces of Diabetes Risk in U.S. Cities

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Aug 15, 2016, 08:30 ET

PLAINSBORO, N.J., Aug. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk today unveiled the "Am I at Risk?" traveling exhibit as an extension of its Ask.Screen.Know.^® program urging adults to know their risk of type 2 diabetes at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Twenty-nine million Americans are living with diabetes and 1 in 4 do not know it.¹ The exhibit illustrates the many different faces of Americans who are at risk of diabetes, including Ask.Screen.Know.^® ambassadors Rev Run and Justine Simmons.

The 12x8 foot exhibit with two-sided mirrors enables visitors to see themselves among the faces of risk, symbolizing the millions of Americans unaware of their risk for developing diabetes. It offers visitors a chance to uncover their own personal diabetes risk onsite and learn about the importance of screening. The exhibit will make another stop at Mall of America in Minneapolis later this month.

Hip-hop legend Rev Run and his wife Justine became ambassadors for Ask.Screen.Know.^® after learning they are both at risk of the disease. Both Rev Run and Justine have a family history of diabetes and are also at risk due to their ethnicity and age. Health is now a priority for the Simmons family. They hope that by sharing their story they will motivate others to learn about their risk, too, and get screened.

"You can't confront what you don't know," said Rev Run. "We know that our family history impacts our family today more than ever. Learning about our risk of diabetes has empowered our entire family to make important adjustments to our everyday lifestyle."

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is associated with older age, family history of the disease, being a member of certain ethnic groups, lacking physical activity, being overweight or obese, and having diabetes during pregnancy.¹

In addition to Rev Run and Justine, the "Am I at Risk?" exhibit features 10 adults who identify as having one or more risks associated with diabetes. The variety of adults included in the exhibit range in age, gender, ethnicity, height, and weight, showcasing the depth of American adults who are at risk.

"There's no type when it comes to those at risk of type 2 diabetes," said Justine Simmons. "If you're physically fit but have a family history of diabetes, that makes you at risk, too. It's important to take the Diabetes Risk Factor Assessment to find out if you are at risk, get screened, and take charge of your health."

To take an online Diabetes Risk Factor Assessment, visit www.AskScreenKnow.com. You'll also find additional information about risk factors associated with diabetes and the importance of being screened.

About Ask.Screen.Know.^®Launched in 2009, Ask.Screen.Know.^® (ASK) is a national education program that challenges Americans to find out about their risk of type 2 diabetes and raise awareness of the need for early screening. More than 1 in 3 American adults are at risk of diabetes.² Since the program's inception, ASK ambassadors including Olympia Dukakis and husband Louis Zorich, Chris Noth, Rev Run and wife Justine Simmons each played a part in sharing their own connection to those at risk of diabetes and urged millions of Americans to know their risk, too.

About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: hemophilia, growth disorders and obesity. With U.S. headquarters in Plainsboro, N.J., Novo Nordisk Inc. has more than 5,000 employees in the United States. For more information, visit novonordisk.us or follow us on Twitter: @novonordiskus.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report: Estimates of Diabetes and Its Burden in the United States, 2014. CDC website. http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/statsreport14/national-diabetes-report-web.pdf. Accessed May 25, 2016.
Tarasova VD, Caballero JA, Turner P, Inzucchi SE. Speaking to patients about diabetes risk: is terminology important? Clinical Diabetes. 2014;32(2):90-95.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk