What Is Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Test For Diabetes?

What is Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Test for Diabetes?

In order to effectively manage diabetes, it is said that you need to keep the blood sugar level and the HbA1c levels under check. So, what is this HbA1c level? Is there a test for the same? The answers to all such questions shall be answered in the article that will follow. Join in for the article “What is Hemoglobin or HbA1c Test for Diabetes?”
What is the Test About?
Let us understand first why such a test is needed for diabetes patients in the first place. Well, as we know, it is very important for diabetes patients to continuously monitor their blood glucose levels. This test helps to monitor the blood glucose levels over the last two to three months. This test is not only useful in analyzing whether you have diabetes but also helps in understanding if any extra medication is required by the diabetes patient.
The test is known by different names such as HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin test, as well as glycohemoglobin.
What Does the HbA1c Test Tell You?
As per the results of the test, one can find out whether one is diabetic or not.
For healthy people, the hemoglobin A1c levels should be between 4% and 5.6%.
If your A1c levels are somewhere around 5.7% to 6.4%, it signifies that you have a higher risk of contracting diabetes.
Anything above 6.4% of the A1c level will mean that you already have diabetes.
Let’s understand the good and bad level of hb(A1C) by below chart:
For conducting the test, a sample of the blood is usually taken from the patient’s arms. Also, in a few known cases, a sample of a single drop of blood may also be taken in order to check the level of h Continue reading

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Obesity-Linked Diagnoses On The Rise Among Kids And Teens

It's no secret that American children have gotten heavier in recent decades.
Now an analysis released Thursday by the nonprofit Fair Health, a national clearinghouse for claims data, joins earlier research showing the consequences of that extra weight. The study found a sharp rise in health insurance claims filed on behalf of young people who have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and other conditions more typically associated with older adults.
Claims for Type 2 diabetes — formerly known as adult-onset diabetes — among people younger than 23 years old more than doubled between 2011 and 2015, according to the analysis of a large national database of health claims paid by about 60 insurers.
At the same time, claims for prediabetes among children and youth rose 110 percent, while high blood pressure claims rose 67 percent. Sleep apnea, a condition in which a patient temporarily stops breathing while sleeping, rose 161 percent.
The findings "not only raise quality-of-life questions for children, but also the ... kind of resources that will be necessary to address this emerging situation," said Robin Gelburd, president of Fair Health. The company offers free medical cost comparison tools to consumers, and sells data to insurers and health systems.
Fair Health's analysis is certainly not the first to note a rise in obesity or Type 2 diabetes in this age group, nor does it explore the possible reasons behind the apparent increase in claims. One factor in the rise could simply be an increased awareness of the problem and testing for it, while variations among s Continue reading

Doctors' message to Asian Americans: Watch out for diabetes even if you're young and thin

The Silicon Valley techies visiting his office were typically slender Asian Americans in their 30s who worked out regularly and ate healthy meals. But, as Sinha repeatedly found, they either already had or were about to get diabetes.
It wasn't. What Sinha noticed a decade ago is now supported by a growing body of scientific research: Asians, in part for genetic reasons, are disproportionately likely to develop diabetes. They get the disease at younger ages and lower weights than others, experts say.
Diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, often remains undiagnosed until it's too late, especially in Asians who haven't historically been considered high-risk. It's the seventh most common cause of death nationwide and can lead to blindness, amputations and strokes.
To prevent the insidious disease from gaining ground among the country's fastest-growing minority group, doctors and health advocates are trying to increase diabetes testing and treatment for Asian Americans, including Chinese, Indians and Filipinos. Diabetes is largely preventable, experts say — but only if people know they are at risk.
"We began with diabetes is not a big problem in the Asian community" to now thinking "simply being Asian is a risk factor," said Dr. Edward Chow, an internist who has worked in San Francisco's Chinatown since the 1970s.
In Los Angeles County, Asian American adults have the lowest obesity rate of any ethnic group, at 9%, compared with 18% of whites and 29% of Latinos and blacks.
But 10% of Asian Americans in L.A. County are diabetic, compared with 7 Continue reading

Free Weight Loss Tools for People with Diabetes

Welcome to SparkPeople, America's most active weight-loss and healthy living website! This article will introduce you to all of the SparkPeople features that can help adults manage type 2 diabetes, including our Spark*D Diabetes Management Program, which offers a variety of free tools, trackers, articles and support options that can help you achieve success in the lifestyle management program that your doctor, health care provider and/or Certified Diabetes Educator has outlined for you.
SparkPeople can help you with the diet, exercise and weight-loss components of your treatment plan, but please note that our website is no substitute for regular medical care. While certified diabetes educators helped develop these articles and tools, you should follow the treatment guidelines given to you by your doctor and/or certified diabetes educator should you encounter any contradictions to your treatment plan.
About Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes must work to manage the disease for the rest of their lives. You can help control your blood glucose levels by following a healthy diet and exercise program, losing excess weight, and using medication prescribed by your doctors.
In our Type 2 Diabetes Condition Center (found under the "Your Health" tab at the top of the site), you'll find dozens of healthy lifestyle articles we created specifically for people with type 2 diabetes, including: What SparkPeople Offers People with Type 2 Diabetes
Free Meal Plans. Our meal plans were created by registered dietitians and meet the basic dietary guidelines for people with type 2 diabete Continue reading

Recognizing Signs of Diabetes in Cats

Cats can develop diabetes just as humans can, and the treatment and management of the condition are very similar. Treatment may include dietary changes, adequate exercise and insulin.
Feline diabetes mellitus is more common that most people realize. It is thought that the condition is becoming more prevalent in cats due to factors such as diet and low activity levels. Male, neutered cats are at increased risk, as are cats who are overweight or obese. Age and underlying health issues may also be components in the development of diabetes. Because cats often mask illness quite well, being aware of the signs of this disease is important.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes can be classified into two categories. Type 1, which is the less common of the two, results when there is a lack of insulin being generated by the pancreas. Type 2 occurs when the feline body develops a resistance to insulin. Both types lead to abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood and the urine.
Symptoms of diabetes
Early symptoms such as lethargy may be inconclusive and possibly indicators of other diseases, which is why a veterinary exam is an important part of getting a correct diagnosis and treatment.
The following symptoms may be strong indicators of diabetes:
Weight changes
Weight gain in the early stages of diabetes will eventually change to weight loss as the disease progresses.
Insulin, normally released by the pancreas, aids in the transfer of glucose to the cells. A lack of insulin, or an abnormal response to the insulin, affects the regular production of energy. When this energy is missing, the b Continue reading