Diabetes Alert Day

March 24, 12:25 PMSeattle Healthy Food ExaminerKristen Rezabek, MS, RD, CD, CDE

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courtesy American Diabetes Association

Today is Diabetes Alert Day. There are 23.6 million people in the US who have Diabetes. Of those 17.9 million are diagnosed and an estimated 5.9 million people are walking around with undiagnosed diabetes (one-third). Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death although in all likelihood it’s much higher as it often goes unreported on death certificates. For older adults diabetes is a real health concern. The risk for developing diabetes increases with age. Half of all diabetes cases occur in people over the age of 55.

There are three types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs primarily in children or young adults. This accounts for 5-10% of all diabetes cases. Type 1 is believed to be an autoimmune disease. The pancreas, which normally produces the hormone insulin to allow the cells of your body to use glucose for fuel, stops working. Type 1 requires injections of insulin to survive.

 Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, it make-ups 90-95% of all diabetes cases. Type 2 is thought to be related to genetics, obesity, lack of exercise and the aging process. In these cases the pancreas either doesn’t produce enough insulin or the cells of the body ignore the insulin. Another 57 million Americans have a condition known as pre-diabetes where their blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnose of diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is the third type and affects 4% of pregnant women.

Sugar or glucose is the basic fuel for the body. Just like a car needs gas to run, your body needs carbohydrate or sugar to power your body, to make your muscles to move and your brain to think. Normally when you eat foods that cause your blood sugar to rise the pancreas produces a hormone called insulin. Insulin acts like a key, it attaches to glucose and opens the cells to allow the glucose to enter and be used for energy. When you have diabetes, the glucose builds up in the blood instead of going inside the cells. This is caused by either the body making too little insulin (insulin deficiency) or insulin resistance (the cells do not respond to the insulin- like a sticky lock they do not open as a readily to allow glucose to enter). Having high blood sugar causes two problems; first - your cells are starved for energy because they lack fuel (glucose), second - over time having high blood sugar levels may damage your eyes, kidney, heart and nerves.

How do you know if you have diabetes? You may or may not experience these symptoms:
• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurry vision

A routine health exam may include a glucose screening test (finger prick of blood). People at risk for diabetes should get these done.

At risk factors include:
• Blood relatives w/ diabetes
• Women who have had gestational diabetes or babies weighing more than 9 lbs at birth
• Ethnicity: African-American, Native American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Island
• People who have pre-diabetes condition
• High Blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides
• Obese
• Over the age of 45

If you think you may be at risk for diabetes talk to your healthcare provider. Take the American Diabetes Association risk test today to determine your risk for developing diabetes.