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Feature Articles: Health
Do You Have Type 2 Diabetes?
Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD,
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The American Diabetes Association estimates that 20.8 million
people in the United States have diabetes. Only 14.6 million
people have actually been diagnosed with the disease. This
translates to an estimated 6.2 million people in the United
States that have diabetes and don’t know it. It is estimated
that 90-95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to
produce enough of or properly use the hormone insulin. When we
eat, our bodies break down foods containing carbohydrate to
glucose. Insulin is responsible for helping the glucose enter
body cells so that it can be utilized for energy. If insulin is
unable to do its job, glucose or blood sugar continues to
circulate in the blood making blood sugar levels high.
You could have diabetes and not know it because some people
do not have any symptoms of the disease. Some symptoms to be
aware of include frequent urination, unexplained weight loss,
excessive thirst or hunger, fatigue, or sores that do no heal.
There are people who are at risk for developing diabetes.
Some things that may put you at risk for developing diabetes
include: having a close family member with diabetes, being
overweight, or physically inactive. Some ethnic groups have
higher incidence of diabetes. Those include African American,
Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Native American.
Women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes or delivered
a baby larger than nine pounds are at risk for developing
diabetes. Another risk factor is being over the age of 45. As we
age, the pancreas produces insulin less efficiently.
You may have concluded that diabetes couldn’t be all bad if
you lose weight without trying and there may be no symptoms at
all. The truth of the matter is that diabetes can be doing
damage to your body long before you know you have it. High blood
sugar levels over long periods of time can lead to problems with
your eyes, nerves, kidneys, gums and teeth. According to the
National Institutes of Health, a person with diabetes is twice
as likely as someone without diabetes to have a stroke or heart
disease.
The good news is that if you are at risk for developing
diabetes, there are things you can do to delay or prevent onset
of the disease. In a federally funded research project called
the Diabetes Prevention Program, persons who made lifestyle
changes to eat healthfully and exercise reduced their chances of
getting type 2 diabetes by 58%. In the study, participants
walked for 30 minutes five times per week and decreased fat and
calories to lose 5-7% of their body weight. (For a 175 pound
person that is overweight, that would translate to a 9-12 pound
weight loss.)
At your next doctor visit, discuss your risk for diabetes with your physician. Diabetes is a serious disease. It is important to define your risk factors and take all necessary precautions to delay or prevent it. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, it is important to manage the disease so that you can live a full and productive life.
Last update: Friday, September 22, 2006
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