November 18, 2003

Washington, DC - This year, a deadly disease will cause or contribute to the death of at least 210,000 Americans.  This silent epidemic will cause 24,000 new cases of blindness, 8,160 new cases of end-stage renal disease, and 82,000 lower-limb amputations.  And the number of people suffering from this dreaded disease will grow to more than 17 million people.

 

The disease is diabetes, and the situation is serious.  One of the greatest causes for concern is that one-third of individuals with diabetes don’t realize they have the disease, and won’t realize until it’s too late.  That is why it is so important that we learn more about the symptoms and risk factors for diabetes.

 

There are two types of diabetes.  Type 1 is an immunological disorder, where the body stops producing insulin, a hormone necessary to turn sugar into energy.  This disease usually strikes during childhood or young adulthood, and requires a life-long regimen of insulin shots and blood sugar testing.  Approximately 1 million Americans suffer from type 1 diabetes.

 

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease that affects approximately 16 million Americans.   This disease, often caused by obesity and sedentary lifestyle, disproportionately affects African American and Hispanic communities.  Once seen only in the elderly, type 2 diabetes is striking younger and younger Americans.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that children as young as 3 or 4 years-old are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

 

Whether type 1 or type 2, diabetes is a serious disease with serious complications.  If not properly managed, diabetes can lead to blindness, lower limb amputation, kidney failure, heart disease and stroke. 

 

While there is no cure for diabetes, treatment advancements enable people with diabetes to control their disease and live long and healthy lives.  With proper diet, exercise, blood-glucose monitoring, and medication, people with diabetes can avoid complications altogether.  But you won’t get the treatment if you don’t know you have the disease -- that is why it is so important to learn more about diabetes and to determine whether you are at risk. 

 

You may be at high risk for diabetes if you are significantly overweight; are African American, Latino, Native American, Asian‑American, or Pacific Islander; have had a family member with diabetes; are a woman who has had a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth; or lead a sedentary lifestyle.  Symptoms of diabetes are mild, but include frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue, and irritability. To test your risk for diabetes, take the test at http://www.diabetes.org/info/risk/risktest.jsp.

 

You can also prevent diabetes by keeping your weight in control or losing weight if you are overweight, staying active most days of the week, eating low fat meals that are high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods.  If you think you’re at risk for diabetes, talk to your doctor.

 

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