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UNP-0048 DIABETES... There's something you need to know

DIABETES... There's something you need to know

 

What Is Diabetes?

A chronic disease that occurs when the body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin that breaks food down into usable energy.

Two Main Types of Diabetes

TYPE I

  • Also known as insulin dependent
  • Most common in children and young adults
  • Can be controlled with insulin shots

TYPE II

  • Also known as non-insulin dependent
  • Usually occurs in people 40 years of age and older
  • Can be controlled with insulin shots and medications

PRE-DIABETES

  • Blood sugar is too high to be considered normal yet not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetic. Pre-diabetes increases the risk for diabetes and heart disease.

GESTATIONAL

  • Is defined as blood sugar elevation during pregnancy. Properly treated, the blood sugar returns to normal after birth. Gestational diabetes increases a woman's risk of becoming diabetic within 5 to 10 years.

Diagnosis of Pre-diabetes by testing:

  • Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) 100-126 mg/dl
  • Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) 140-200 mg/dl
  • A1C Test 5.7%-6.4%

Warning Signs

D - Drowsiness, lack of energy

I - Itchiness

A - A family history of diabetes

B - Blurred vision

E - Excessive thirst and urination

T - Tingling and numbness in the limbs

E - Excessive weight loss or gain

S - Skin infections/slow healing of cuts and wounds

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the US.

Complications of Diabetes

  • Blindness
  • Kidney Disease
  • Amputation
  • Heart Disease
  • Stroke

Approximately 15 million Americans have diabetes.
More than half are unaware that they have the disease.

Who is AT RISK?

  • People 40 years of age and older
  • People who do not exercise regularly
  • People who are overweight
  • People with a family history
  • African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans have an increased risk

Reduce the Risk of Diabetes by

  • Get blood sugar tested
  • Lose 5-10% of your body weight if overweight
  • Exercise 30 minutes or more daily
  • Make smart food choices
  • Establish a regular meal pattern, eating a well-balanced diet
  • Visit your doctor regularly

 

Call the American Diabetes Association
for more information on diabetes

1-800-DIABETES
1-800-342-2383

References:

American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Forecast 2010. Retrieved September 2010.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). National diabetes fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States, 2007. United States Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved February 6, 2009.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, July 23). National diabetes fact sheet: general information. Retrieved February 6, 2009.

Healthline.com Retrieved September 30, 2010.

UNP-0048, Updated October 2010, Donnie L. Cook, PhD, Extension Specialist, Health & Nutrition, Tamara Warren, PhD, Extension Specialist, Health & Nutrition,and Andrea Morris, Nutrition Educator & Administrative Assistant, Urban Affairs & New Nontraditional Programs Unit, Alabama A&M University

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information.

Published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University), an equal opportunity educator and employer.

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