In the United States alone, this year more than 1 million people age 20 or older will develop type 2 diabetes, putting them at serious risk for heart disease, blindness and nerve damage.

Did you know that the imbalances of blood sugar and insulin that result in diabetes can damage your system years before a diagnosis is made? Your answers to the following questions may determine if you are on the path to diabetes.

1. Are you overweight?

2. Are you apple shaped (your waist is larger than your hips)?

3. Are you a couch potato?

4. Do you crave high-carbohydrate foods?

5. Do you have high blood pressure or borderline high blood pressure?

6. Is there diabetes in your family?

7. Do you wake up tired?

8. Are you tired or sleepy not long after a meal?

9. Do you get irritable when a meal is delayed?

10. Do you experience mid-afternoon slumps?

11. If you are a woman, did you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy?

If you answered "yes" to several of these questions, reading "Atkins Diabetes Revolution" will provide more information on how to identify risks for diabetes early on and how to control your blood sugar if you are already a diabetic.

"The main purpose of this book is to focus people on the basic but dramatic fact that many individuals may prevent type 2 diabetes by simply changing what they put on their plate," said Dr. Mary Vernon, co-author of "Atkins Diabetes Revolution."

This book will show readers how to minimize the risks for type 2 diabetes by:

* Identifying risk factors as early as possible.

* Correcting the metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes.

* Individualizing the controlled-carbohydrate approach.

* Integrating exercise, which is essential to improving the metabolism.

* Minimizing exposure to pharmaceuticals.