« To the tests

Data Protection Statement

We would like to thank you for your interest in the DIfE – German Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) and the DIfE – Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score, which were developed by researchers of the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke.

Protection of your privacy when using the Risk Scores is important to us. We are legally obliged to implement the EU-DSGVO and the Brandenburg Data Protection Act and have taken appropriate measures to do so. Our security and data privacy measures are regularly updated.

According to EU-DSGVO Art. 4 No. 1, personal data includes all information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.

In the following we comply with our duty to provide information pursuant to Art. 13 and Art. 14 EU-DSGVO.

Data Controller

Responsible for DIfE website:
Press- and Public Relations
German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE)
Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116
14558 Nuthetal/Germany
e-mail: presse@dife.de

Data Protection Officer:
German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE)
Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116
14558 Nuthetal/Germany
e-mail: datenschutz@dife.de

Responsible supervisory authority:
The Regional Commissioner for Data Protection and for the Right of Access to Files
Dagmar Hartge
Stahnsdorfer Damm 77
14532 Kleinmachnow/Germany
phone: +49 33203 356-0
fax: +49 33203 356-49
e-mail: poststelle@lda.brandenburg.de

Rights of the affected person

You have the right

to know how long we store your personal data.
to know what kind of personal data we have stored about you and you have the right to receive this data.
to revoke your consent to the processing of your personal data with effect for the future.
to complain to the responsible supervisory authority.
to know how a possible automated decision-making process is carried out in the processing of your personal data.
of deletion of your personal data, if there are no retention periods.
to let your personal data be corrected if they are not accurate.
to let your data stored by us be transferred to another location.
to know from which source your personal data originates if it was not collected directly from you.

Automatically collected data

In order to use our risk scores, you do not have to provide us with any personal data. When you visit our website, the webserver collects technical information for the transmission of data, some of it is stored in log files. This includes information about the terminal device used, the name of the operating system, the browser used, the time of access, the so-called referrer (this is the address of the website from which you are visiting us), transferred data volumes and an anonymous IP address. In order to make the IP address anonym, the last digit of the address is coded as 0 before storage. As such it is no longer possible to unambiguously assign the user. These log files are managed by DIfE's IT department.

This data is used for the purpose of guaranteeing the functionality and security of the DIfE website and evaluated for error detection. It will not be transferred to third parties and will be deleted after 14 days.

Data to be entered by you

In order to determine your individual risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years, please provide the following information:

your gender, age, height, weight and waist circumference
your blood pressure
your diabetes status
your dietary habits (consumption of red meat, whole grain products, coffee, plant oil and soft drinks)
your lifestyle (physical activity, smoking)
your family history regarding type 2 diabetes, heart attacks or strokes.

Your data are only cached in your browser in order to calculate your risk and will be deleted when you click the „Delete data and exit“ button at the end of the test.

The data you enter will not be combined with personal information like your IP address.

Links

If you use external links offered through our websites, this data protection declaration does not extend to these links. We have no control over other providers’ compliance with data protection and security regulations. Therefore, please inform yourself on the websites of other providers about the data protection declarations provided there.

By using this website you agree to the processing of the data collected by us as described and for the purposes set out above.

Last updated: September 12th, 2022

Background Information

Type 2 Diabetes

At present, nearly 8.5 million people in Germany are known to have type 2 diabetes. Additionally, many if not millions are suspected to have not been diagnosed because the disease frequently has no symptoms in the beginning and is only recognized years later. Type 2 diabetes often leads to serious complications, such as blindness, kidney failure, and amputation of extremities. In addition, individuals with type 2 diabetes die earlier, especially of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases

The term cardiovascular diseases describes the many different diseases of the heart and blood vessels. These include heart attacks and strokes, which occur when tissue parts of the heart or brain are not supplied with sufficient blood or when corresponding blood vessels rupture. Heart attacks and strokes usually come unexpected to those affected and can lead to impaired physical performance, long-term motor and neuronal consequential damage, and, in the worst case, death.

What do the results of the tests mean?

The tests show how you can personally help to prevent type 2 diabetes, a heart attack, or a stroke.

Please note: Even people with a low risk can develop type 2 diabetes, a heart attack, or stroke, whereas those with a high risk may remain healthy. Avoiding or reducing risk factors are thus no guarantee that the disease will not develop.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes

Unalterable factors that affect your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes:

Sex
Studies have shown that men have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than women.
Age
The risk for diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes increases with age.
Body height
Height has an influence on diabetes risk because it affects the distribution of abdominal fat.
Diseases in the family
The risk is higher when blood relatives have had or have type 2 diabetes, a heart attack, or stroke. This increased risk is probably due to an interaction between genetic and family-specific lifestyle factors.

Alterable factors that affect your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes:

High blood pressure
Physical activity helps to maintain a lower body weight and thus waist circumference. At the same time, it lowers blood pressure, among other things. It also improves insulin action, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. In addition to sports, other activities such as cycling, gardening or walking also contribute to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Physical activity
Physical activity helps to maintain a lower body weight and thus waist circumference. At the same time, it lowers blood pressure, among other things. It also improves insulin action, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. In addition to sports, other activities such as cycling, gardening or walking also contribute to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Excess weight (waist circumference)
When excess fat is deposited in the abdomen (waist), there is an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. Studies have shown that weight reduction can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases considerably.

Whole grain products
Many studies have shown that eating whole grain products, such as whole grain bread and rolls, cereal flakes, grains and muesli, lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes.
Meat
The consumption of red meat, e. g. beef, pork, or lamb, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. The more you eat these meats, the higher your risk.
Coffee
Many studies have discovered a relationship between regular coffee consumption and a lowered risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. The reason for this is not known. If you like to drink coffee and tolerate it well, there is at present no reason why you should not drink coffee in moderate amounts.
Smoking
Smoking has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. It can also cause cancer, heart, and circulatory diseases. It is therefore recommended to quit smoking.
Soft drinks and sodas
Various studies have shown that sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and soft drinks can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Vegetable oils
Vegetable oils with a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, such as olive, rapeseed, or sunflower oil, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

How is your personal risk estimated?

The risk estimation is based on correlations observed in the Brandenburg Nutrition and Cancer Study (EPIC-Potsdam Study). The study, in which 27,548 adult men and women participate, was launched in 1994. It is part of the largest prospective European nutrition study to date (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition - EPIC) with 23 centers in 10 European countries. The study investigates the relations between nutrition and cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other chronic diseases.

The questions in the DIfE - German Diabetes Risk Score and the DIfE - Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score correspond to factors that contribute in varying degrees to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, or strokes. Each factor has a certain value, which is multiplied with the value you have entered for this factor. The sum of these calculations makes it possible to estimate your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a heart attack, or stroke within the next 10 years.

The methods for calculating the 10-year risk for diabetes, a heart attack, and stroke were tested for validity in the EPIC-Heidelberg study with 25,543 participants and, for diabetes risk, additionally in the German-representative German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 cohort with 3,959 participants. The development, validation and extension of the DIfE - German Diabetes Risk Score and the DIfE - Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score have been published in renowned scientific journals such as Diabetes Care, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, and Scientific Reports.