Causecast

by CLAIRE GRINTON, Contributing Writer

Diabetes is an ever-growing concern in the U.S. and around the world. During a three year study, completed in November 2008, the incidence of Type 2 diabetes in children doubled. Just as shocking is the rate of diagnosis: in the U.S., one person is diagnosed with diabetes every 20 seconds. Yet, despite these alarming numbers, the majority of Americans lack basic knowledge about diabetes. In order to get a clear picture on the future of our nation’s health and learn how we can prevent diabetes, it is important to educate ourselves on the disease.

1. As of the latest count in 2007, 23.6 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and that number is on the rise. These cases affect 7.8 percent of the U.S. population, with just over one in ten adults already diagnosed. Worldwide, more than 220 million people have diabetes in the world, 90 percent of those cases being Type 2 diagnoses.

2. The main difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is their cause. While Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the disease, Type 2 diabetes is caused by both genetics and lifestyle factors, such as eating habits. That doesn’t just mean sugar, either – any diet high in calories, whether from sugar or fats can lead to weight gain that sometimes accompanies the onset of diabetes. A healthy meal plan is therefore at the basis of both prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

3. Symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, sudden or unexplained weight loss, or fatigue. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes may also experience blurred vision, frequent infections of the skin, gum, or bladder, numbness or tingling of the hands and feet, or cuts and bruises that take an unusually long time to heal. However, people with Type 2 diabetes might also have no symptoms at all.

4. One in three Americans is at an increased risk for diabetes, but lots of factors come to play. Latinos and African Americans are twice as likely to develop diabetes, and women are also at particular risk. If you want to calculate your risk, you can take the American Diabetes Association risk test.

5. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are treatable, but both can also be fatal if not treated. In fact, two out of three diabetes patients die from heart disease or stroke. Over one million people worldwide die of diabetes each year; almost half of those deaths are people under 70, and 55 percent are women. However, a healthy meal plan, regular exercise, and avoiding tobacco can help both prevent and manage diabetes and its complications.

6. Treatment of Type 1 diabetes will always include insulin, but Type 2 diabetes doesn’t always start with needles. Depending upon your particular case, your doctor may start you on oral medications, but over time it is likely that you’ll need to start using insulin. This is because diabetes is a progressive disease, and your body will produce less and less insulin on its own as you age.

7.Women may also experience gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a kind of carbohydrate intolerance that occurs during pregnancy. While the mother’s intolerance typically returns to normal after the birth, it can lead to permanent pregnancy if not treated through self-care and dietary changes, and can also increase the risk of obesity and impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes in the baby’s life.

8. There are a number of complications associated with diabetes. In addition to stroke and heart disease, individuals with diabetes may also experience foot pain and possible limb amputation due to reduced blood flow, numbness, pain, or tingling due to diabetic neuropathy, blindness, depression, and kidney failure. Some individuals with diabetes may also experience slurred speech when their blood sugar is particularly low.

9. Diabetes can take its toll financially on the individual and the health care system. Individuals with diagnosed diabetes typically pay 2.3 times more in health care costs each year than individuals without diabetes. In 2007, the estimated economic cost of diabetes was nearly $175 billion: $116 billion in direct medical costs, and $58 billion in indirect costs such as lost workdays and disability.

10. World Diabetes Day is celebrated annually on November 14 and has been recognized by the United Nations since 2007.

Photo by AlishaV, flickr.