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Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which blood glucose—or sugar--levels are too high. The body uses glucose to provide energy for movement, growth, and cell repair. Too much glucose, however, can damage small and large blood vessels, lead to blindness, kidney disease, amputations of limbs, stroke, and heart disease.
About 17 million persons in America have Diabetes mellitus, but five million don't even know it. Nearly 1 million new cases are diagnosed each year. The disease affects men and women of all ages and ethnic groups. However, African Americans, Latinos, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders are more greatly affected than other groups.
Q. What Are The Types of Diabetes?
A. There are three common types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually (but not always) diagnosed in children and young adults. Persons with type 1 diabetes make no insulin and must take insulin every day.
Type 2 diabetes is usually (but not always) diagnosed in adults over the age of 45. In type 2 diabetes, either the person is not making enough insulin, or the body is resistant to insulin and cannot use it properly.
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy in about 2 to 4 percent of all pregnant women have gestational diabetes. If a woman has gestational diabetes, she has about a 40 percent chance of having type 2 diabetes later in her life.
Q. How do I know if I have diabetes?
A. As many as 50 percent (one-half) of persons with type 2 diabetes are unaware that they have it. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the signs and symptoms of diabetes and its risk factors. These include:
* being very thirsty
* urinating often
* feeling very hungry or tired
* losing or gaining weight without trying
* having sores that heal slowly
* having dry, itchy skin
* losing the feeling in your feet or having tingling in your feet
* having blurry eyesight
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often develop over a short period of time. In type 2 diabetes, symptoms develop more slowly, and some persons never have any symptoms at all. If you are experiencing any of these signs and symptoms, you should tell your doctor.
Q. What factors increase my risk of getting diabetes?
A. Although researchers don't fully understand why some get diabetes and others don't, it is clear that certain factors increase your risk. You may be at increased risk if:
* Your mother, father, sister, or brother has diabetes;
* You are African American, Hispanic American/Latino, American Indian, Native
Alaskan, Asian American, or Pacific Islander;
* You have high blood pressure
* You have a history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or gave
birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth;
* You are overweight or obese;
* You are inactive or have a sedentary lifestyle; or
* You are older than 45 years of age.
If you have one or more of these risk factors, even if you are experiencing no symptoms, your doctor may want to test you for diabetes.
Q. What do "sugar free" and "no sugar added" mean on food labels?
A. The nutrient content claim "sugar free" on a food label means that the serving of food contains an insignificant amount of sugar (less than 0.5 g per serving).
Government regulations allow the claim "no added sugars" or "no sugar added" if no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient (such as jam, jellies, or concentrated fruit juice) is added during processing. A “no added sugar” food may in fact contain significant amounts of sugar. If you are trying to avoid sugar in your diet, read food labels carefully.
The Galen diabetes education program teaches participants how to read and understand food labels. This is an important skill in the fight against diabetes.
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