Did
you now that diabetes is the sixth leading cause
of death in America?
Diabetes is a common, serious, costly
disease, but fortunately, it is manageable.
For those who do not know exactly what
diabetes is, it is a group of diseases characterized
by high levels of blood glucose resulting from
defects in insulin production, insulin action,
or both. There are two main types of diabetes:
Type I diabetes-a condition characterized by high blood glucose
levels caused by a total lack of insulin. Occurs
when the body's immune system attacks the insulin-producing
beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them.
The pancreas then produces little or no insulin.
Type I diabetes develops most often in young
people but can appear in adults. Most college students who develop diabetes will have Type I.
Type II diabetes- Type II diabetes is the most common form
of diabetes. In Type II, either the body does
not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells
ignore the insulin (insulin resistance). Type II diabetes usually develops later in life and is associated
with obesity.
Even though diabetes is a growing health problem here
in the U.S., it’s good to know that it is
controllable.
In order to manage diabetes, you must
know which symptoms to look for. Some people may have symptoms and some may not. Some common symptoms of Type I diabetes include:
·
Extreme thirst
·
Frequent urination
·
Unexplained weight
loss
There
are usually few or no symptoms of Type II diabetes,
which makes it quite difficult to detect early
on.
It helps to determine if you are at risk of getting diabetes
if you are aware of the following risk factors. You are at higher risk of diabetes if you:
·
Are a member of a high-risk ethnic group, including
African-Americans, Latinos, Native-Americans,
or Asian-Americans
·
Have a history of diabetes during pregnancy
or have delivered a baby weighing more than
nine pounds
·
Have hypertension (high blood pressure –at or
above 140/90)
·
Have a family history of diabetes
·
Are overweight
·
Have a sedentary lifestyle
Individuals
who are at high risk of developing diabetes
may take a fasting blood glucose test, which
is used to diagnose diabetes.
Even though there is no sure way of preventing diabetes,
you can protect yourself and lower your risk
of getting it by making certain lifestyle changes.
You may reduce their risk of getting
diabetes by maintaining a balanced nutritional
diet, engaging in physical activity, and controlling
their blood glucose levels.
In the end, a healthy lifestyle is what
protects you best from not only diabetes but
many other diseases, too!
For
more information on diabetes see:
The Centers
of Disease Control:
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/general.htm#what
or
The American
Diabetes Association (ADA)
http://www.diabetes.org/
By:
Tomi Ademokun
Master’s
of Public Health (MPH) candidate at Emory University,
Rollins School of Public Health
Comments
send to:
ademokun@hotmail.com
