Diabetes Fact Sheet
Diabetes is an insidious condition afflicting an estimated
22 million Americans and 177 million individuals worldwide. It is the
third leading killer in this country – behind heart disease and
cancer and is the leading cause of adult blindness, kidney disease,
heart attack, stroke and non-traumatic amputations.
Diabetes is Life Threatening! But it is also preventable for as many
as 75% of those at risk. With early detection diabetes is manageable,
allowing those with the condition to live long and fruitful lives.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that effects how your body uses the food that
you eat each day. Glucose is a simple sugar, which is your body’s
primary source of energy. The digestive process turns the meal you just
ate into glucose, which is then distributed, throughout your body via
the bloodstream. Some of this “blood sugar” is used by the
brain, which requires a constant supply of glucose and other cells,
which also need immediate energy. The rest is stored in the liver and
muscles as a starch called glycogen or as fat to be used later as your
body’s energy needs require it.
A normal body maintains an even balance of sugar in the blood to properly
satisfy the body’s energy needs. Any disruption creates a chemical
imbalance: too low a blood sugar level causes Hypoglycemia and too high
a blood sugar level causes Hyperglycemia.
The pancreas is an organ that produces the hormone Insulin, which helps
maintain the proper levels of blood sugar and is a vital component to
the smooth transition of glucose into the cells. When the pancreas does
not produce enough insulin to properly release glycogen from the liver
to the bloodstream or the body doesn’t correctly use it the result
is high blood sugar or diabetes.
Types of Diabetes – There are 2 Major
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 occurs when the body produces no insulin at
all. Children frequently suffer from this type of diabetes. Along with
diet and exercise, daily insulin injections are necessary for the diabetic’s
very survival.
Type 2 exists when the pancreas produces insulin (to
varying degrees), but the body does not properly use it. This type is
referred to as Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as Adult Onset Diabetes,
but is being diagnosed more frequently among teenagers and children
than ever before. This type may respond well to lifestyle changes including
proper diet and exercise, but may require insulin. Thanks to ongoing
research, oral medications are now available, but for more serious cases
insulin injections may still be necessary.
Death and Major Complications
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The sixth leading cause of death
in the United States. Diabetes causes over 215,000 deaths every
year. |
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Worldwide: 3.2 million deaths every year and
six deaths attributable to diabetes or related conditions every
minute. |
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Heart Disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related
deaths. |
| • |
Diabetics are 2 to 4 times more likely to
die of heart Disease; and 6 times more likely to suffer a Stroke.
65% of diabetic deaths are due to Heart Disease or Stroke. |
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Diabetics have 3 to 4 times the risk of developing
liver cancer and more than twice the risk of developing pancreatic
cancer. |
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Diabetic Retinopathy causes 12,000 to 24,000
new cases of Blindness each year. |
| • |
The leading cause of end-stage kidney disease,
accounting for 44% of new cases; and Major cause of kidney dialysis
and kidney transplant. |
| • |
70% of diabetics suffer mild to severe forms
of nerve system damage (diabetic neuropathy); and greater risk
of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) combining to be the leading
cause of most non-traumatic lower-limb amputations (82,000). |
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Three times more likely to die of complications
from flu or pneumonia; up to 30,000 people a year. |
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More Complications and Statistics
of Diabetes
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33% have periodontal (gum) disease.
|
| • |
73% have or are being treated for high blood
pressure. |
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Poorly controlled diabetes can cause major
birth defects during pregnancy; and miscarriages in 15 –
20% of diabetics’ pregnancies; and greater risk to mother
and child during pregnancy. |
| • |
Diabetics are 65% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s
disease. |
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25 – 30% of all diabetics in the United
States are black or Hispanic. |
| • |
Asian Americans have a 60% greater chance
for developing diabetes than Caucasian Americans. |
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15% of U.S. entire annual Health Care cost
or $137 Billion Dollars. |
Is Diabetes Preventable?
Type 2 diabetes is 75% preventable. Diabetes is a disease of modern
lifestyle fueled by obesity and inactivity. There will always be some
individuals who, for genetic reasons, will be at greater risk for the
disease than others, but again, for many this disease is entirely preventable.
Is There a Cure for Diabetes?
No. However, with proper and prompt treatment the disease can be controlled
and complications avoided. Once diagnosed as having diabetes a person
should immediately:
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Consult with a diabetes specialist
called an Endocrinologist. No matter how much you trust your regular
physician there is no substitute for expertise when it comes to
diabetes. Always be sure to keep your physician informed of any
treatment regimes you are undertaking with the specialist. |
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Start on a supervised medical and nutritional
therapy program. |
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Include an individualized physical fitness
program into your lifestyle. |
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