Diabetes Awareness

Nearly 26 million children and adults in America live with diabetes, and another 79 million at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The disease is taking a devastating physical, emotional and financial toll on our country. Recent numbers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spell out why diabetes presents such a critical health challenge:

• Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes.
• Diabetes kills more people each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
• Nearly 6 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Many have no signs or symptoms.
• Recent estimates project that as many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take steps now to slow or stop this disease.

Now is the time to act. While November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, it's always a good time to rally individuals, communities and families. UTMB Health and the Stark Diabetes Center join in a national effort to educate and help eradicate this disease.

Diabetes is serious. Health problems caused by diabetes can include:

• Heart attack and stroke
• Eye problems that can lead to trouble seeing or going blind
• Nerve damage that can cause your hands and feet to hurt, tingle, or feel numb. Some people may even lose a foot or a leg.
• Kidney problems that can cause your kidneys to stop working
• Gum disease and loss of teeth

What are the symptoms of diabetes?
People who think they might have diabetes should visit a physician for diagnosis. Look for the following symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme hunger
• Sudden vision changes
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Feeling very tired much of the time
• Very dry skin
• Sores that are slow to heal
• More infections than usual

Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains may accompany some of these symptoms in the abrupt onset of insulin-dependent diabetes, now called type 1 diabetes. Many people do not find out they have the disease until they have diabetes complications, such as blurry vision or heart trouble. If you find out early that you have diabetes, then you can get treatment to prevent damage to your body.

Ten Risk Factors

Besides being older and overweight, these other factors increase your risk for type 2 diabetes:

1. Having a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes;
2. A family background that is Alaska Native, American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, or Pacific Islander;
3. Having had gestational diabetes, or giving birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds;
4. Blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or above (high blood pressure);
5. Cholesterol levels that are not normal (HDL cholesterol--"good" cholesterol--below 35 mg/dL, or triglyceride level above 250 mg/dL);
6. Being inactive (exercising fewer than three times a week);
7. Having polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS (women only);
8. Having impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT);
9. Other clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as a condition called acanthosis nigricans, characterized by a dark, velvety rash around my neck or armpits; and/or
10. History of cardiovascular disease.
    

How can I reduce my risk?
You can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes. First, learn about the disease. Then, exercising regularly, reducing fat and calorie intake, and losing a little weight can help you reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels also helps you stay healthy.