Type 1 Diabetes: Causes And Symptoms
While type 2 diabetes is often preventable, type 1 diabetes mellitus is not.1 Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys cells in the pancreas. Typically, the disease first appears in childhood or early adulthood. Type 1 diabetes used to be known as juvenile-onset diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), but the disease can have an onset at any age.2 Type 1 diabetes makes up around 5% of all cases of diabetes.3,4 What is type 1 diabetes? In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas is unable to produce any insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels.2,3 Insulin production becomes inadequate for the control of blood glucose levels due to the gradual destruction of beta cells in the pancreas. This destruction progresses without notice over time until the mass of these cells decreases to the extent that the amount of insulin produced is insufficient.2 Type 1 diabetes typically appears in childhood or adolescence, but its onset is also possible in adulthood.2 When it develops later in life, type 1 diabetes can be mistaken initially for type 2 diabetes. Correctly diagnosed, it is known as latent autoimmune diabetes of adulthood.2 Causes of type 1 diabetes The gradual destruction of beta cells in the pancreas that eventually results in the onset of type 1 diabetes is the result of autoimmune destruction. The immune system turning against the body's own cells is possibly triggered by an environmental factor exposed to people who have a genetic susceptibility.2 Although the mechanisms of type 1 diabetes etiology are unclear, they are thought to involve the interaction of multiple factors:2 Susceptibility genes - some of which are carried by over 90% of patients with type 1 diabetes. Some populations - Scandinavians and Sardinians, Continue reading >>
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
Perhaps you have learned that you have a high chance of developing type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes. You might be overweight or have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes. Maybe you had gestational diabetes, which is diabetes that develops during pregnancy. These are just a few examples of factors that can raise your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and eye and foot problems. Prediabetes also can cause health problems. The good news is that type 2 diabetes can be delayed or even prevented. The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop health problems, so delaying diabetes by even a few years will benefit your health. You can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by losing a modest amount of weight by following a reduced-calorie eating plan and being physically active most days of the week. Ask your doctor if you should take the diabetes drug metformin to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.1 How can I lower my chances of developing type 2 diabetes? Research such as the Diabetes Prevention Program shows that you can do a lot to reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Here are some things you can change to lower your risk: Lose weight and keep it off. You may be able to prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of your starting weight.1 For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, your goal would be to lose about 10 to 14 pounds. Move more. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. If you have not been active, talk with your health care professional about which activities are best. Start slowly to build up to your goal. Eat healthy foods most of the time. Eat smaller portions to reduce the amount of calories you Continue reading >>
Though Preventable, Diabetes Prevalence Soars
MORE Chances are, you forgot to mark March 25 on your calendar this year as the 20th annual Diabetes Alert Day. Despite being a top killer and one of the most expensive diseases in the history of mankind to treat, diabetes is as entrenched as deeply in the American psyche as medieval Liechtenstein history. More than 20 million Americans, or 7 percent of the U.S. population, have diabetes, but more worrisome is the fact that an additional 20 percent are pre-diabetic. Scarier yet, 40 percent of U.S. adults ages 40 to 74 are pre-diabetic. Diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness and a major cause of amputation, nerve damage and kidney disease that requires dialysis. The total estimated cost of diabetes in 2007 was $174 billion, according to the American Diabetes Association. That's about as much as the cost of all cancers combined. Happy Diabetes Alert Day, everyone. All about food It is perhaps fitting that Diabetes Alert Day, the fourth Tuesday every March, coincided so closely this year with Easter, a once traditional religious holiday now more resembling a shotgun marriage between Halloween and Thanksgiving, with its chocolate eggs and bunnies and ample honey-glazed hams. Although there is a strong genetic component, diabetes is closely tied with poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. About 80 percent of diabetics are overweight or obese, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The term diabetes, without a qualifier, usually means type 2 diabetes, the largely preventable variety comprising up to 95 percent of all cases, in which something slowly goes awry with the body's ability to metabolize glucose, or blood sugar. The hormone insulin carries glucose into muscle cells, where it is used as a fuel. Insulin also regu Continue reading >>
13 Ways To Prevent Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Uncontrolled cases can cause blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and other serious conditions. Before diabetes is diagnosed, there is a period where blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. This is known as prediabetes. It's estimated that up to 70% of people with prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, progressing from prediabetes to diabetes isn't inevitable (1). Although there are certain factors you can't change — such as your genes, age or past behaviors — there are many actions you can take to reduce the risk of diabetes. Here are 13 ways to avoid getting diabetes. Eating sugary foods and refined carbs can put at-risk individuals on the fast track to developing diabetes. Your body rapidly breaks these foods down into small sugar molecules, which are absorbed into your bloodstream. The resulting rise in blood sugar stimulates your pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that helps sugar get out of the bloodstream and into your body's cells. In people with prediabetes, the body's cells are resistant to insulin's action, so sugar remains high in the blood. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, attempting to bring blood sugar down to a healthy level. Over time, this can lead to progressively higher blood sugar and insulin levels, until the condition eventually turns into type 2 diabetes. Many studies have shown a link between the frequent consumption of sugar or refined carbs and the risk of diabetes. What's more, replacing them with foods that have less of an effect on blood sugar may help reduce your risk (2, 3, 4, 5, 6). A detailed analysis of 37 studies found that people with the highest intakes of fast-digesting carb Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes Prevention
Currently, there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Researchers are still working to fully understand what causes or triggers type 1; without fully understanding that, it’s difficult to prevent the disease. Type 1 diabetes isn’t like type 2 diabetes, which at times can be prevented by taking good care of your body—watching your diet and staying physically fit and active. You can learn more about type 2 prevention in our article. With type 1 diabetes, you can stave off or prevent the short-term and long-term complications of the disease. By reading our article on type 1 complications, you can learn more about how to stave off or even avoid eye, nerve, kidney, and heart disease. Continue reading >>
Diabetes Is On Rise, But It's Largely Preventable
For the past few years, my best friend and I have gone on annualweekendbuddy trips. Weve traveled to Orlando; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Madison, Wisconsin; Chicago and the Shenandoah Valley. We talk about the Cubs, Packers, sports issues, our wives, politics and anything that crosses our minds. I have come to cherish every trip because Im not sure how many we have left. My friend has Type 2 diabetes. Althoughhes lost 50 pounds, he admits he needs to lose more. A new job that has him driving two hours a day doesnt help. Walking is a challenge because he has knee problems. And while he has cut back on Coca-Cola, he still drinks enough of the stuff to make most health-care specialists cringe. My friend also is a reminder that I need to take better care myself. Im not skinny and I have had life-long kidney issues. When I look at diabetes, it makes me believe excess sugar has surpassed cigarettes as the worst thing we put in our bodies. And excess eating isnt too far behind. As Jon Burdzy, president of Lee County Medical Society, said, We dont do a good job of moderation. Smoking has gone down, but diabetes is on the rise. One of the main problems is that people weigh too much. It has become such a problem worldwide that there is a term for it - globesity. As a result, the World Diabetes Organization said 400 million people around the globe have the disease. Diabetes has become so prevalent with youth that our children are at risk of not living longer than us for the first time in two centuries. That was unheard of 20 years ago, Burdzy said. Over the next three weeks, well cover this topic through personal stories. This week well share general information about diabetes as well as thoughts from Burdzy; Dr. Brian Taschner, a cardiologist for Lee Health; Dr. Robert Libbey, a Continue reading >>
Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Approximately 84 million American adults—more than 1 out of 3—have prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes, 90% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The good news is that if you have prediabetes, the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program can help you make lifestyle changes to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems. Causes Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that acts like a key to let blood sugar into cells for use as energy. If you have prediabetes, the cells in your body don’t respond normally to insulin. Your pancreas makes more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Eventually your pancreas can’t keep up, and your blood sugar rises, setting the stage for prediabetes—and type 2 diabetes down the road. Symptoms & Risk Factors You can have prediabetes for years but have no clear symptoms, so it often goes undetected until serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes show up. It’s important to talk to your doctor about getting your blood sugar tested if you have any of the risk factors for prediabetes, which include: Being overweight Being 45 years or older Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes Being physically active less than 3 times a week Ever having gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds Race and ethnicity are also a factor: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at higher risk. Getting Tested You can get a simple blood Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes: Prevalent, Pricey And Preventable
Type 2 Diabetes: Prevalent, Pricey and Preventable The incidence of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. is skyrocketing, largely due to the increased rates of overweight and obesity. Currently, 9.3 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes. About one-quarter of people with diabetes dont know they have it. The prevalence of diabetes is predicted to double or triple 1 by the year 2050to one in three peopleif current trends continue. 37 percent of the adult population have pre-diabetes, based on fasting glucose levels, which puts them at high risk of developing full-blown diabetes. Read more on diabetes statistics in CDCs 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report .2 Health professionals play a key role in helping prevent and manage type 2 diabetes by accurately diagnosing the disease, educating patients and clients about it, and developing feasible and actionable plans to attain blood sugar control. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes has far-reaching implications to people personally through compromised health and productivity, and to society through elevated medical expenses. Nervous system damage leading to amputations It is estimated that diabetes costs the nation a total of $245 billion each year. About 70 percent of this total is direct costs associated with medical expenses, and 30 percent is indirect costs in the form of disability and lost productivity. Children are not immune from developing type 2 diabetes; in fact, it is predicted that one in three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Minorities and older adults are also at high risk of developing diabetes.3 Type 2 diabetes can be prevented, managed and in some cases even reversed by following a healthy meal plan, engaging in regular physica Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes Statistics And Facts
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Read on to learn some of the key facts and statistics about the people who have it and how to manage it. Risk factors Many risk factors for type 2 diabetes include lifestyle decisions that can be reduced or even cut out entirely with time and effort. Men are also at slightly higher risk of developing diabetes than women. This may be more associated with lifestyle factors, body weight, and where the weight is located (abdominally versus in the hip area) than with innate gender differences. Significant risk factors include: older age excess weight, particularly around the waist family history certain ethnicities physical inactivity poor diet Prevalence Type 2 diabetes is increasingly prevalent but also largely preventable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults. The CDC also gives us the following information: In general Research suggests that 1 out of 3 adults has prediabetes. Of this group, 9 out of 10 don't know they have it. 29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes, but 8.1 million may be undiagnosed and unaware of their condition. About 1.4 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in United States every year. More than one in every 10 adults who are 20 years or older has diabetes. For seniors (65 years and older), that figure rises to more than one in four. Cases of diagnosed diabetes cost the United States an estimated $245 billion in 2012. This cost is expected to rise with the increasing diagnoses. In pregnancy and parentingAccording to the CDC, 4.6 to 9.2 percent of pregnancies may be affected by gestational diabetes. In up to 10 percent of them, the mother is diagnosed w Continue reading >>
Is Type 2 Diabetes Preventable?
By Juan Pablo Frias, MD on May 17, 2018 / Prediabetes , Type 2 / 1 Comment Chances are, you know someone who has type 2 diabetes, or is at an increased risk of developing the disease. Today, it is estimated that over 30 million American adults have diabetes (90-95% have type 2 and 5-10% have type 1), and another 80 million (thats 1 out of every 4 people over 18!) have what is called prediabetes, a condition that puts them at increased risk of developing type 2. In fact, type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases worldwide and, if not well cared for, can lead to serious medical complications such as eye, kidney and heart disease. If you have type 2, you can avoid or significantly reduce the risk of developing complications by controlling your glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. And, if you have prediabetes, studies have shown there are ways to significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2. So first things firsthow do you know if you are at increased risk of developing type 2? There are a number of factors that may put you at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. These risk factors include: Your age (theres a higher risk with increasing age) High blood pressure (generally anything over 130/80) Abnormal cholesterol levels (ideally LDL should be below 100, triglycerides below 200 and HDL above 40) Immediate family members with type 2 diabetes Having had gestational (pregnancy-related) diabetes Being of a certain ethnic group (Latino, African American, Native American, Pacific Islander, Asian American) Blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to classify you as having diabetes (for example, fasting morning blood sugars between 100-126) The American Diabetes Association recommends that your healthcare provider Continue reading >>
Preventable Diabetes Complications Are Still Occurring In Hospitals, Audit Finds
Preventable diabetes complications are still occurring in hospitals, audit finds Preventable diabetes complications are still occurring in hospitals, audit finds BMJ 2013; 346 doi: (Published 27 June 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;346:f4125 More than 60 hospital inpatients with diabetes had diabetic ketoacidosis, a life threatening but entirely preventable complication, in just one week in England and Wales, a national audit report shows.1 The National Diabetes Inpatient Audit also documented 232 cases of severe hypoglycaemia requiring injectable treatment. The audit report, commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, said that these findings were shocking as these life threatening harms were preventable. The audit, carried out by the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre working with the charity Diabetes UK, collected data over five days in September 2012 from 13 410 patients with diabetes in 136 trusts in England and six local health boards in Wales. Most of the patients were admitted to hospital for reasons other than their diabetes; just 8.2% in England and 9.6% in Wales were admitted specifically for diabetes. Continue reading >>
Are You One Of The 33% With Prediabetes? 90% Don't Realize It
Developing Type 2 diabetes is a bit like getting dumped in a relationship (only much worse). Even if you are blind-sided when it occurs, it really doesn't occur overnight. Instead, you may miss the many warning signs, until your doctor tells you the bad news (about diabetes, that is, and not about your relationship). The just released 8th Edition of the International Diabetes Federation's (IDFs) Diabetes Atlas confirms that the global diabetes epidemic continues to get worse. This year 10 million more people are living with diabetes than in 2015, meaning that 1 in 11 adults now has diabetes, for a total of 425 million people. Diabetes includes type 1 diabetes (otherwise known as juvenile-onset diabetes) in which you don't make enough insulin and type 2 diabetes (previously known as adult-onset diabetes, although now more and more children are developing it) in which your body doesn't effectively use the insulin you produce. There are other types of diabetes but the vast majority (around 90%) of all diabetes cases are type 2 diabetes. A major aim for World Diabetes Day, which is today, and Diabetes Awareness Month (which is this month, November) is to help "people learn their risk for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes along with steps to take to potentially reverse course," as Heather Hodge, Director of Chronic Disease Prevention Programs at the YMCA-USA (also known as the Y-USA for short, in case you don't have enough time to say the MCA) explained. The lead up to type 2 diabetes can be missed at two different stages. The first is not properly addressing obesity or being overweight, which are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes. As the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery indicates, over 90% of those with type 2 diabetes are overweight or have obesity. Continue reading >>
Can Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Be Considered Preventable?
Volume 68, Supplement 1 , June 2005, Pages S73-S81 Can type 2 diabetes mellitus be considered preventable? Author links open overlay panel GyrgyJermendy Get rights and content The primary prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is of great importance. There is now substantial evidence that T2DM can be prevented or delayed by lifestyle modification. A statistically significant reduction of relative risk of newly diagnosed T2DM was observed in large clinical trials with metformin, acarbose or orlistat in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance as well as with troglitazone in women with previous gestational diabetes. A relative risk reduction of newly diagnosed diabetes was observed in prospective, double blind clinical studies evaluating the effect of different antihypertensive drugs (ACE-inhibitors, angiotensin repector blockers, calcium channel blockers) or that of lipid-lowering agents (pravastatin) on the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in high risk patients. In studies with postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy a relative risk reduction of newly developed T2DM was also observed. Thus, T2DM should be considered as a preventable disease. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that oral antidiabetic drugs with an indication of preventing T2DM are not registered in several countries at present, so that drug therapy should not be used as a routine for preventing diabetes. On the other hand, patients with pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glycaemia, impaired glucose tolerance) should be given counseling on weight loss as well as instruction for increasing physical activity in order to prevent T2DM. Continue reading >>
Is Diabetes Preventable?
Diabetes affects more than 29 million Americans, while another 86 million Americans run some level of increased risk of developing the disease. And yet, despite these numbers, most people know very little about this very serious disease. Diabetes can occur due to a shortage of insulin in the body or because the body cannot properly use insulin, or both. Our bodies use insulin to convert blood sugar into energy and to manage its glucose (sugar) levels. An excess of sugar in the blood system can cause damage to organs, which can also lead to other diseases. People with diabetes are at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and blindness, as well as a higher risk for amputation. There are three types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes occurs when cells in the pancreas responsible for producing insulin are destroyed by the body's immune system and therefore cannot produce insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes require daily insulin injections to help their bodies process the food they eat. Type 1 diabetes typically occurs in children and young adults, but it can occur at any age. Family history of diabetes and immune system problems are significant risk factors for developing Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin and has trouble using the insulin it does produce. Type 2 diabetes most often occurs in adults, but it can also occur in children and teens. It is also the most common type of the disease. Along with a family history of the disease, people of certain ethnic backgrounds or a history of specific diseases are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Those who smoke, are overweight or inactive are also at risk. Gestational diabetes occurs due to hormone changes in pregnant women which cause high blood sugar levels Continue reading >>
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Type 2 Diabetes Is Preventable
May 2, 2001 -- Diabetes is nothing to fool with. If you're at high risk for it -- that is, if you are a bit overweight , a couch potato, and have a family history of diabetes -- you risk a lifetime of serious complications. What's more, you may end up taking medications such as insulin for the rest of your life. But a new study adds proof to what doctors have been advising all along: eat right and get a little exercise , and you can stave off the disease. You can find out more about preventing diabetes, or managing it if you have it, at WebMD's Diabetes chat board moderated by Gloria Yee, RN, CDE. "This study provides evidence that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by changes in the lifestyles of both men and women at high risk for the disease," writes study author Jaakko Tuomilehto, MD, PhD, a researcher in the Diabetes and Genetic Epidemiology Unit of the University of Helsinki in Finland. His study appears in the current issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. "This is an extremely important study," P. Antonio Tataranni, MD, a senior scientist with the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, tells WebMD. "Doctors are always struggling with trying to convince patients that embracing a healthy lifestyle is a good thing to do. Now the data are there to show that that these changes will have a significant impact on the life of people who are at risk of diabetes." Tataranni was co-author of an editorial on the study. Risk of diabetes is not to be taken lightly, says Lee J. Sanders, DPM, president of healthcare and education for the American Diabetes Association. "People with diabetes have a two- to fourfold increase for cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes," he tells WebMD. "Diabetes causes nerve damage throughout the bod Continue reading >>
