One Third Of Americans Are Headed For Diabetes, And They Don't Even Know It
One third of Americans may be on their way to developing full-blown type 2 diabetes, and most of them don't even know it. A recent report from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than 84 million Americans, or roughly one-third of the population, have prediabetes, a condition marked by higher-than-normal blood sugar. Of that group, 90 percent aren't aware they have the condition. The primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes are genetics and lifestyle — excess weight, obesity and lack of exercise contribute to this alarming medical trend. "People with prediabetes who don't change their lifestyle are at a much higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke and can develop type 2 diabetes within five years if left untreated," said William T. Cefalu, MD, chief scientific, medical & mission officer of the American Diabetes Association. The health risks go beyond heart disease and stroke. As diabetes worsens over time, blindness, kidney disease and lower-limb amputation are also major health risks. Diabetes was the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States in 2015, according to the CDC. This population of diabetes "ticking time bombs" is particularly alarming, because in many cases type 2 diabetes can be avoided, simply by leading a healthy lifestyle. Type 2 diabetes is often progressive, and within 10 years of diagnosis, 50 percent of individuals need to use insulin to control their blood glucose levels, according to the ADA. More than 30 million Americans — 9.4 percent of the U.S. population — are already battling diabetes, according to the CDC's National Diabetes Statistics Report, which used data through 2015. The CDC found that of those cases, 7.2 million were undiagnosed. "The country needs to take this seriously, ratc Continue reading >>
Prediabetes
What Is Prediabetes? Prediabetes is a “pre-diagnosis” of diabetes—you can think of it as a warning sign. It’s when your blood glucose level (blood sugar level) is higher than normal, but it’s not high enough to be considered diabetes. Prediabetes is an indication that you could develop type 2 diabetes if you don’t make some lifestyle changes. But here's the good news: . Eating healthy food, losing weight and staying at a healthy weight, and being physically active can help you bring your blood glucose level back into the normal range. Diabetes develops very gradually, so when you’re in the prediabetes stage—when your blood glucose level is higher than it should be—you may not have any symptoms at all. You may, however, notice that: you’re hungrier than normal you’re losing weight, despite eating more you’re thirstier than normal you have to go to the bathroom more frequently you’re more tired than usual All of those are typical symptoms associated with diabetes, so if you’re in the early stages of diabetes, you may notice them. Prediabetes develops when your body begins to have trouble using the hormone insulin. Insulin is necessary to transport glucose—what your body uses for energy—into the cells via the bloodstream. In pre-diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or it doesn’t use it well (that’s called insulin resistance). If you don’t have enough insulin or if you’re insulin resistant, you can build up too much glucose in your blood, leading to a higher-than-normal blood glucose level and perhaps prediabetes. Researchers aren’t sure what exactly causes the insulin process to go awry in some people. There are several risk factors, though, that make it more likely that you’ll develop pre-diabetes. These are Continue reading >>
You’re ‘prediabetic’? Join The Club
“The numbers don’t lie,” said the home page at doihaveprediabetes.org. “1 in 3 American adults has prediabetes.” The website invited me to take an online risk test, promising that it would require only a minute. The widely promoted site, part of a yearlong media campaign, bore the logos of the American Medical Association, the American Diabetes Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 292,000 people have taken the test. Make that 292,001. I clicked on the yellow button and gave my gender, race and age range. I responded to a couple of questions about family history and my own medical history, said that I was physically active, and filled in my height and weight. How did I do? “Based on these results, you’re likely to have prediabetes and are at high risk for Type 2 diabetes.” The site advised me to see my doctor for a blood test to confirm the results. I would be more worried about this if I hadn’t just read a new analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine. I’m in good company: The study found that more than 80 percent of Americans over age 60 would get the same warning. So would nearly 60 percent of those over age 40, an estimated 73.3 million people. The researchers, at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, used data from 10,175 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Because Type 2 diabetes is a major and growing public health problem, experts certainly do want to help people avoid it. But how useful or meaningful is a test that identifies nearly every older person as likely to have prediabetes? As an accompanying editorial pointed out, it’s “a condition never heard of 10 years ago.” To the lead author, Dr. Saeid Shahraz, a specialist in predictive analysis and comparative effectiveness, the test Continue reading >>
Many Miss Prediabetes Wake-up Call
Type 2 diabetes doesn’t usually appear all of a sudden. Many people have a long, slow, invisible lead-in to it called prediabetes. During this period, blood sugar levels are higher than normal. However, they’re not high enough to cause symptoms or to be classified as diabetes. It’s still possible at this stage to prevent the slide into full-blown diabetes. Think of prediabetes as a wake-up call. Unfortunately, few people ever hear the alarm. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that among Americans age 20 and older, only 10% of those with prediabetes know they have it. Given that as many as 73 million Americans have prediabetes, that’s a lot of missed opportunities to prevent the ravages of diabetes. One reason many people don’t know that they may be headed toward diabetes is they’ve never had their blood sugar tested. This simple test isn’t part of routine preventive care. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends blood sugar “screening” only in individuals with high blood pressure. (Screening means hunting for hidden disease in the absence of any outward signs or symptoms.) That’s important, because recommendations from the Task Force, an independent panel of experts, are used by many health-care organizations to determine preventive care. In addition, Task Force recommendations will help determine what services are covered under the Affordable Care Act. Expanding the net The American Diabetes Association and other organizations recommend routine blood sugar testing in people at high risk for developing diabetes. These include: everyone over age 45 younger people who are overweight and who also have one of these diabetes risk factors: little or no physical activity family history of diabetes high blood pre Continue reading >>
8 Actions To Take If You Have Prediabetes
Changing the Path to Type 2 A whopping 86 million Americans have prediabetes. That’s according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- that's 37 percent of American adults over age 20 and 51 percent of adults over age 65. Research shows about 70 percent of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes over time. Despite these scary stats, only 11 percent of people who have prediabtes know it. The good news is you can prevent or slow the progression of prediabetes to type 2. Numerous research studies conducted over the last 30 years show that early and aggressive management with continued vigilance over time is what prevents or delays type 2 diabetes. And the earlier you detect it and put your plan into action, the better. Here are eight ways to manage prediabetes. 1. Get Tested to Know for Sure. Do you have family -- parents or siblings -- with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes? Are you carrying extra weight around your middle? Don't get enough exercise? These are a few of the risk factors for prediabetes. A good first step to see if you are at high risk is to use the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test. You can take the test by visiting diabetes.org/risk. If you’re at high risk, schedule an appointment with your health care provider to get a check of your blood glucose level -- or, better yet, your A1C (an average of your blood glucose over two to three months). See the blood test results to diagnose prediabetes on the next page. 2. Max Out Your Insulin-Making Reserves. It's well known that at the center of the storm of the slow and steady onset of prediabetes is insulin resistance -- the body's inability, due to excess weight and genetic risk factors, to effectively use the insulin th Continue reading >>
Half Of Americans Have Diabetes Or A High Risk For It — And Many Of Them Are Unaware
That’s right. The metabolic condition is about as American as you can get, according to a new national report card on diabetes released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report shows that nearly half of Americans have diabetes or prediabetes, which puts them at high risk for the condition. A good number of these folks haven’t been diagnosed and don’t even realize their predicament. People with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood. If the disease isn’t controlled, they can wind up with heart disease, nerve damage, kidney problems, eye damage and other serious health problems. The new report combines data from the CDC, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Indian Health Service and the Census Bureau. Here’s a numerical look at what they reveal about diabetes in America. 30.3 million The number of people in the U.S. who had diabetes in 2015. The percentage of the U.S. population that has diabetes. That’s nearly 1 in 10. 1.5 million The number of newly diagnosed cases of diabetes among U.S. adults in 2015. That works out to 6.7 new cases per 1,000 people. 24% The percentage of Americans with diabetes who don’t even know they have it. That’s 7.2 million people. 7 Where diabetes ranked on the list of leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2015. Diabetes was listed as a cause of death on 252,806 death certificates that year, including 79,535 that identified diabetes as the primary cause of death. There were two kinds of diabetes included in the study. Type 1 diabetes (formerly known as juvenile diabetes) occurs when the immune system prevents the body from making insulin, and type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset diabetes) occurs when the body can’t make enough insulin or can’t use it well. About 95 Continue reading >>
Diabetes By The Numbers: Facts, Statistics, And You
Insulin acts as a “key.” It allows the glucose to go from the blood into the cells. It also helps you store energy. Insulin is a vital part of metabolism. Without it, your body isn’t able to function or perform properly. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to serious complications. It can cause damage to small and large blood vessels and organs. This can often lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, and eye disease. Managing diabetes requires keeping track of blood glucose levels. Treatment may include taking insulin or other medications. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise can also help manage diabetes. Types of Diabetes There are different types of diabetes. Each has something to do with insulin and blood glucose. Type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes is a disorder in which the pancreas cannot longer produce insulin. It used to be called juvenile diabetes. It’s also sometimes called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. There is no cure. If you have it, you must take insulin to survive. Type 2 diabetes In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas can produce insulin, at least initially. But the body doesn’t respond to it or use it effectively. This is called insulin resistance. Over time, the ability of the pancreas to make insulin decreases. Then blood sugars go up. Some, but not all people with type 2 diabetes need to take insulin. Most of the time a proper diet, exercise, and medications can manage the disease. Gestational diabetes Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), women with gestational diabetes have a 35 to 60 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 20 years. Prediabetes When blood glucose levels are higher than they should be, but no 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 >>
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 >>
New Cdc Report: More Than 100 Million Americans Have Diabetes Or Prediabetes
More than 100 million U.S. adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes, according to a new report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report finds that as of 2015, 30.3 million Americans – 9.4 percent of the U.S. population –have diabetes. Another 84.1 million have prediabetes, a condition that if not treated often leads to type 2 diabetes within five years. The report confirms that the rate of new diabetes diagnoses remains steady. However, the disease continues to represent a growing health problem: Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2015. The report also includes county-level data for the first time, and shows that some areas of the country bear a heavier diabetes burden than others. “Although these findings reveal some progress in diabetes management and prevention, there are still too many Americans with diabetes and prediabetes,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. “More than a third of U.S. adults have prediabetes, and the majority don’t know it. Now, more than ever, we must step up our efforts to reduce the burden of this serious disease.” Diabetes is a serious disease that can often be managed through physical activity, diet, and the appropriate use of insulin and other medications to control blood sugar levels. People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including premature death, vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation of toes, feet, or legs. The National Diabetes Statistics Report, released approximately every two years, provides information on diabetes prevalence and incidence, prediabetes, risk factors for complications, acute and long-term complications, mortality, and costs in the U.S. Key findings from Continue reading >>
How Many People Have Prediabetes In The U.s. And What Are Its Risks?
How many people have prediabetes in the U.S. and what are its risks? According to the American Diabetes Association, 86 million people in the U.S. have prediabetes, which can lead to diabetes if you don't make healthy lifestyle changes that your doctor recommends. It also raises the risk for heart disease, although not as much as diabetes does. It's possible to keep prediabetes from becoming diabetes with diet and exercise. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2." American Diabetes Association: "Checking Your Blood Glucose;" "Type 2 Diabetes Complications;" and ''National Diabetes Fact Sheet 2011.'' Robertson, R. 2003. Diabetes, Brownlee, M. 1994. Diabetes, Wautier, J. 1994. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, Christiansen, J. "What Is Normal Glucose?" presentation at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting, September 13, 2006. Fuller, J. 1980. Lancet, Riddle, M. 1990. Diabetes Care, Rao, S. 2004. American Family Physician, Cryer, P. 1993. American Journal of Physiology, Reviewed by Arefa Cassoobhoy on December 19, 2017 National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2." American Diabetes Association: "Checking Your Blood Glucose;" "Type 2 Diabetes Complications;" and ''National Diabetes Fact Sheet 2011.'' Robertson, R. 2003. Diabetes, Brownlee, M. 1994. Diabetes, Wautier, J. 1994. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, Christiansen, J. "What Is Normal Glucose?" presentation at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting, September 13, 2006. Fuller, J. 1980. Lancet, Riddle, M. 1990. Diabetes Care, Rao, S. 2004. American Family Physician, Continue reading >>
Cdc: More Than 100 Million Americans Have Diabetes, Prediabetes
July 20 (UPI) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new report showing 100 million adults in the United States are living with diabetes or prediabetes. The report found that as of 2015, 30.3 million Americans have diabetes, representing 9.4 percent of the population. Another 84.1 million people have prediabetes, the condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes if left untreated. The rate of new diabetes diagnoses remains steady even as the disease continues to be a growing health burden in the country. "Although these findings reveal some progress in diabetes management and prevention, there are still too many Americans with diabetes and prediabetes," CDC Director Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, said in a press release. "More than a third of U.S. adults have prediabetes, and the majority don't know it. Now, more than ever, we must step up our efforts to reduce the burden of this serious disease." In 2015, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and an estimated 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in adults age 18 and older. The report also found that nearly one in four adults in the United States are living with diabetes and do not know it and only 11.6 percent of adults with prediabetes knew they had the condition. Rates of diabetes diagnoses increased with age, according to the CDC. Adults age 18 to 44, 4 percent had diabetes and in adults age 45 to 64, 17 percent had diabetes. In adults age 65 and older, 25 percent had diabetes. The report also showed diabetes prevalence varied by education with 12.6 percent of diabetes cases in adults with less than a high school education. In adults with a high school education, 9.5 percent had diabetes and 7.2 percent had diabetes in adults with more than a high school educatio Continue reading >>
I Can Prevent Diabetes
What is prediabetes? Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar (glucose) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diabetes. People with prediabetes are much more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people with normal blood sugar levels. Sometimes people call it borderline diabetes, impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance. How many people are affected by prediabetes? National data suggest 1 in every 3 adult Americans has prediabetes. For adults aged 65 years and older 1 in every 2 has prediabetes.a In Minnesota there may be as many as 1.4 million adults who have prediabetes. Who is at risk of developing prediabetes? Factors that make someone at risk for developing type 2 diabetes also put people at risk for prediabetes.b Many factors, like your family background, are impossible to change, but some like being overweight or obese and getting little or no physical activity can be improved, even if one small step at a time. To learn more about prediabetes see the Prediabetes in Minnesota Fact Sheet and for information about diabetes, see the Diabetes in Minnesota Fact Sheeton the Minnesota Department of Health Diabetes Data page. a2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet bNDEP Guiding Principles for Diabetes Care Preventing type 2 Diabetes People with prediabetes can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes development Research studies around the world have shown that making small changes in lifestyle can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes for people who are overweight and have prediabetes. These changes are: losing 7% of bodyweight (about 15 lbs if you weigh 200 lbs) exercising at least 150 minutes a week People with prediabetes who participated in a program to help make these changes were 58% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes three years later than people Continue reading >>
One In Four U.s. Adults Is 'prediabetic'
FEATURE | Posted Nov. 26, 2014 People with diabetes lose 10-15 years of life on average One in four American adults has prediabetes high blood-sugar levels that signal looming, full-fledged diabetes. Exercising 30 minutes a day and losing a few pounds can help to halt or reverse the process. Dr. Pawar practices internal medicine at Rocklin's Placer Center for Health . What you may not know is thatmore thanone in four American adults over age 20is already estimated to have prediabetes high blood-sugar levels that signal a collision course with full-blown diabetes and its potentially deadly complications. Fortunately, relatively modest lifestyle changes can slow or reverse prediabetes and prevent you from developing diabetes proper. Even losing as little as 10 pounds can make a huge difference. Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. More than nine in 10 cases are type 2 or adult-onset diabetes, the kind linked to excess body weight and physical inactivity. The American Diabetes Association recommends testingfor prediabetes and diabetes in adults without symptoms who are overweight or obese and have one or more additional risk factors, such as: family backgroundis African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Alaska Native, American Indian or Pacific Islander gestational diabetes or giving birth to a >9 pound baby impaired fasting glucose or glucose tolerancein previous testing other conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as severe obesity or acanthosis nigricans If test results are normal, testing should be repeated at least every 3 years. In those without these risk factors, testing should begin at age 45. In type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or make good use of insulin, a hormone that helps glucose enter yo Continue reading >>
How Many People Have Diabetes?
Rates of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing globally. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas, here are the overall rates including both type 1 and type 2: 415 million adults have diabetes (1 in 11 adults) By 2040, 642 million adults (1 in 10 adults) are expected to have diabetes 46.5% of those with diabetes have not been diagnosed 1 in 7 births is affected by gestational diabetes 12% of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes ($673 billion) You can see an interactive map of global diabetes statistics at the IDF website. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most current data is for 2012 (source): 29 million people in the United States (9.3 percent) have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. 1.7 million people aged 20 years or older were newly diagnosed with type or type 2 diabetes in 2012. Non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native adults are about twice as likely to have diagnosed with some form of diabetes as non-Hispanic white adults. 208,000 people younger than 20 years have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. 86 million adults aged 20 years and older have prediabetes. The percentage of U.S. adults with prediabetes is similar for non-Hispanic whites (35 percent), non-Hispanic blacks (39 percent), and Hispanics (38 percent). Similar data is available from a study called Prevalence and Incidence Trends for Diagnosed Diabetes Among Adults Aged 20 to 79 Years, United States, 1980-2012 published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This study found that 49% to 52% of the adult population had either diabetes or prediabetes. Then came the most stunning number: 83% of adults over 65 have either diabetes or prediabetes! Thankfully, the authors of this s Continue reading >>
