Chances are you know a person living with diabetes – a family member, co-worker, neighbor or even yourself.  It’s a disease that is increasingly being diagnosed in our society; today, over 23 million Americans are living with diabetes (two of them within my own family).

Diabetes is a disease in which your body’s blood glucose (sugar) levels are above normal.  If left uncontrolled, these high levels of glucose can cause serious damage to your body, leading to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision and gum damage, nerve damage and eventually an earlier death.  The most common type of diabetes is type 2, formerly called “adult-onset” but now being observed in younger people as well as children.  This is primarily due to the excess weight gain, obesity and lack of physical activity so prevalent in our country today.

Fortunately, diabetes can be managed with three very important actions: changes in what and how you eat; administration of correct medication; and maintenance of a proper weight and exercise plan.  Living successfully with this disease requires self-discipline and self-management plus the help of a trusted healthcare team (including dietitians). 

In addition to diabetes, more than 57 million Americans over the age of 20 are being diagnosed with “pre-diabetes” – a condition defined as having higher-than-normal glucose levels but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.  This group is at increased risk of developing diabetes within 10 years.  The big problem?  Most people with pre-diabetes don’t even know they have it and unfortunately, damage to their cardiovascular system and heart may already be occurring.    

There is hope for this group, however.  Studies show that people with pre-diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 with two key steps: losing weight and exercising.  Losing just 5 to 10 percent of their body weight (that’s 10 to 20 pounds for a 200 pound person) along with doing some kind of daily physical activity for 30 minutes (walking, gardening, dancing – anything moderate) can return high blood glucose levels back to a normal range.

Symptoms of Diabetes:

Unusual thirst, frequent desire to urinate, blurred vision and unexplained tiredness.  See your doctor immediately if you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms.

Symptoms of Pre-diabetes:
Usually symptomless; the symptoms above develop very gradually and are typically unrecognized until full-blown diabetes is diagnosed.

What to do:

• If you are over the age of 45 and overweight, ask your doctor to check for pre-diabetes.  There are several simple tests that can be performed at your next routine check-up. 
• If you are over the age of 45 and of normal weight, ask your doctor if pre-diabetes testing is appropriate.  You should have your blood glucose checked along with your regular blood work every 1 to 3 years as a precautionary measure.
• If you are under the age of 45 and overweight, talk to your doctor about testing if you exhibit other risk factors for diabetes: high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol or a family history.
• If your child is overweight or exhibiting any diabetes symptoms, talk to your pediatrician about testing.

Resources:
www.diabetes.org (American Diabetes Association)

www.ndep.nih.gov (National Diabetes Education Program)

Susan Zeff is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian in Coppell and teaches nutrition education classes.