The Facts About Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease with serious, sometimes life-threatening consequences. It can lead to blindness, heart disease and stroke. If current trends continue, one in three of our children will face a future with the disease.
Fortunately, many of these complications can be avoided. COPE is joining forces with the American Diabetes Association to stop diabetes in its tracks.
To learn more about diabetes, its prevention, including the Diabetes Superfoods choose a topic below. Or, simply scroll down to review all of the information.
What are the ABCs of Diabetes?
Say No! to Supersized foods and Yes! to Superfoods
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the types of diabetes?
There are three types of diabetes. When you have Type 1, your body cannot make insulin, the hormone that allows the cells in your body to admit glucose, which they use as fuel. Without glucose, you don't have enough energy to live. People with Type 1 diabetes take daily insulin shots, or administer insulin through a pump, in order to stay alive.
Approximately 5-10% of people diagnosed with diabetes have type 1. Typically this type shows up during childhood, although it can develop in adulthood.
With Type 2 diabetes, your body can make insulin - though probably not enough - but fails to use it properly. This is the most common type of diabetes. About 90-95% of people who have diabetes have type 2. It typically appears in adulthood, however, as obesity rates have increased among children, the prevalence of type 2 has also risen among children and adolescents.
Finally, there is Gestational diabetes which develops in some women during pregnancy. It usually disappears after the baby is born. It affects roughly 4% of pregnant women. Though it usually goes away, it is important to treat it because, left untreated, it can lead to birth defects and other health problems for child and mother.
Nobody knows for certain what causes diabetes, though researches are getting closer to understanding how type 2 develops. They have learned that genetics, obesity and a lack of physical activity all play a critical role in the development of the disease.
Genetics plays a role in type 1 diabetes, but the onset of type 1 also involves one or more environmental "triggers" that are less understood.
Although anyone can develop diabetes, some people are at greater risk than others. For example, if you have a family history of diabetes, you are at increased risk to get it, especially if a close family member - mother, father or sibling - has diabetes.
Other groups at greater risk of getting diabetes include:
- Afican-Americans
- Hispanic/Latinos Americans
- Native Americans
- Asian Americans
- Pacific Islanders
- Older Americans
As mentioned earlier, obesity and lack of physical activity are also risk factors. And just because you fall into one of these higher-risk categories doesn't mean you will develop the disease. You should know the symptoms and steps to limit the risk.
Like high blood pressure, diabetes can develop with few if any noticeable symptoms. However, sometimes they do appear and it's wise to know what to look for, especially if you are at greater risk. Common symptoms include:
- Frequent urination
- Unusual thirst
- Unusual hunger
- Excessive fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
- Blurry vision
See your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms.
The only way to determine for certain if you have diabetes is to get tested for it. There are several blood tests that can be used. The Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) test and the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) both require fasting and measure current blood glucose levels. The A1C test, which is now recommended by an international panel of experts to diagnose diabetes, measures average blood glucose levels over the past two to three months.
Consult your doctor to find out which test your healthcare team uses and to make an appoinment if you think you are at risk.
A landmark government study - The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) - found that people at high risk for type 2 diabetes could reduce the chances of getting diabetes by nearly 60% by losing 5-10% of body weight (10 to 15 pounds for many people) and exercising for at least 30 minutes five times a week.
The study did not apply to type 1 diabetes, for which there is no known means of prevention. But many studies show that complications associated with diabetes - whether type 1 or 2 - can be prevented.
When not properly managed, diabetes can lead to numberous complications. The most serious and life-threatening is cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for the most deaths among people with diabetes. Diabetes also carries an increased risk for heart attacks, strokes and complications associated with poor circulation.
Other complications include:
- Kidney damage
- Vision problems
- Nerve damage
- Gum disease
- Depression
- Sexual Dysfunction
Additional Resources
Center for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov
American Diabetes Association
www.stopdiabetes.com