According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), between 20 percent and 30 percent of people with diabetes develop kidney disease. This is in spite of the fact that it’s one of the most preventable of all complications of diabetes.

If found early, kidney problems can be stopped or reversed with treatment. Since there are no symptoms in the earliest stages of kidney damage, it is very important to have a simple urine test once a year.

In a sense, this urine test checks the “leakiness” of your kidney’s filter system, so you will know if your kidneys are doing their job. The test measures the level of a protein called albumin in the urine.

Ask your doctor about the microalbumin test. The ADA and the American Kidney Foundation recommend that everyone with diabetes have a urine microalbumin screening done annually in order to lower the risk of developing kidney disease.