
Diabetes Awareness Month: When is it and what happens?
Diabetes Awareness Month: When is it and what happens?
Reviewed by Natalie Olsen, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C
Every November, people with diabetes, health care professionals, and patient organizations across the United States take part in National Diabetes Month. The event is to raise awareness of diabetes, and the impact it has on millions of Americans.
National Diabetes Month is important as more than 29 million Americans have diabetes , yet 1 in 4 of these people are unaware that they have the condition.
What is the theme for National Diabetes Month 2017?
In 2017, the theme for National Diabetes Month is Managing Diabetes - It's Not Easy, But It's Worth It .
The theme for 2017 serves to remind people with diabetes that although managing the condition is difficult, they're not alone.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) explain that 2017's theme highlights the importance of managing diabetes to prevent diabetes-related health problems.
For example, people with diabetes are twice as likely to have a stroke or get heart disease compared with people who do not have diabetes. They are also more likely to develop these conditions at an earlier age than people without diabetes.
People with diabetes are at increased risk of kidney problems because high blood sugar levels can damage the kidneys over time. This damage can occur long before a person starts to experience any obvious symptoms.
Diabetes can cause damage to the nerves and blood vessels, leading to serious, difficult-to-treat infections, particularly in the feet. In some cases, ampu
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