November is National Diabetes Month

As has been the case since 1975, this month is National Diabetes Month which is, and has been, used to raise national awareness regarding the disease. In case you didn’t know, there are two types of diabetes, simply known as type 1 and type 2 and both are centered around blood glucose levels and insulin production and both present serious health risks. Type 1 diabetes is the genetic form of diabetes that shows up early in life. Those who contract type 1 diabetes can do nothing to avoid it. Type 2 diabetes is related to lifestyle issues and develops slowly, over time and later in life. For most, type 2 diabetes can be avoided by making lifestyle changes. However, you must know you’re at risk to make those lifestyle changes.

Bear with me for just a minute, I’m going to present some diabetes stats…In 2019 37.3 Americans had diabetes or 11.3% of the population. Of that 37.3 million, 1.9 million had type 1 while the other 35.4 million had type 2. Roughly 8.5 million people have diabetes and are undiagnosed. Also, almost 30% of the population over the age of 65, or 15.9 million seniors, have diabetes. Last stat, I promise…every year, 1.4 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

So, why did I list all the above stats? To reveal how prolific and serious diabetes has become in this country. And while the number of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as risen with population growth, the number diagnosed with type 2 has exploded over the past two decades. This is alarming, to say the least, especially since type 2 diabetes can be avoided by most who contract it and it is to this fact that I focus the rest of this post.

The precursor, or warning sign of type 2 is something called prediabetes. Prediabetes is a health condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal and if those levels remain high or climb higher type 2 diabetes can be the result. Prediabetes can be diagnosed with a simple blood glucose test. Unfortunately, there are no warning signs for prediabetes and most of the 19 million people with prediabetes are unaware they have it. While there are few symptoms of prediabetes, there certainly are warning signs and it is highly recommended that if you have any of these warning signs you get a blood glucose test.

• Being overweight
• 45 or older
• Parent or sibling diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
• Are not physically active
• Had gestational diabetes (during pregnancy)

The good news is that if you are diagnosed with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes is NOT inevitable. Some simple lifestyle changes can prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes indefinitely and they are as follows:

• Weight loss of 5%-7% of your body weight…10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person
• Regular physical activity of 150 minutes per week or 30 minutes per day, five days per week. And this could be something as simple as brisk walking.
• Dietary changes such as eating less sugary, processed foods and drinks and eating more fruits, veggies and lean proteins.

If you do fear you might be prediabetic, I urge you to get a blood glucose test and visit the CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program here. Also, if you’d like to learn more about this years theme and activities for National Diabetes Month, please visit the American Diabetes Association’s website located here.