Diabetes Awareness Message: Lose Weight, Exercise
More awareness is needed on how lifestyle changes such as exercise can help reduce risk of diabetes.
Today is World Diabetes Day and November is National Diabetes Awareness month, so it’s time to answer the call of the American Diabetes Association in spreading the word about diabetes once again, which according to a recent survey, is a serious disease largely misunderstood.
More understanding on how to stop diabetes is critical. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States with more than 200 people dying of it every day. In fact, complications of diabetes kills more people than breast cancer and AIDS combined, and every 20 seconds somebody new is diagnosed with the disease.
If these rates continue, one-third of Americans born just a decade ago will develop the disease at some point in their lives, a number that can climb up to one-half among ethnic minorities.
Diabetes is a condition that is primarily caused by abnormally elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia). After eating a meal, food carbohydrates or sugars are broken down into glucose, which is then carried to your cells to produce energy. People with diabetes cannot efficiently transport glucose into their cells, which is what causes glucose levels in the blood to rise. Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing sores, and tingling in hands and feet.
There are two main types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, is an auto-immune disease that occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed for glucose uptake into the cells, and is responsible for maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Type 1 is relatively uncommon, occurring in only 5-10 percent of those with diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes, is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels, which consequently leads to elevated insulin levels. These factors result from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells do not adequately respond to insulin. It is unclear exactly why people develop insulin resistance, but being overweight and leading a sedentary lifestyle appear to play an important role. The majority of people with diabetes have type 2.
There are several risk factors that increase a person’s chance of developing type 2 diabetes. The primary risk factor is being overweight because excess fat interferes with insulin activity. Those with higher amounts of body fat are more likely to become insulin-resistant. Another risk factor is physical inactivity. Exercise not only helps control weight, but it also helps to increase insulin sensitivity.
Other risk factors include age (over 45), family history, and race—people of Native American, Latin American, African, and Asian descent are all more susceptible to development of diabetes. In addition, conditions such as elevated blood glucose, elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) are also risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes.
Complications can arise from having type 2 diabetes, many of them life-threatening. They include coronary artery disease, kidney damage, potential blindness, impaired circulation, skin infections, osteoporosis, hearing problems, and Alzheimer’s disease. Although there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, it can be managed through a healthy diet, exercise, blood sugar control, and in some cases, medication.
What’s most important to be aware of is that type 2 diabetes can be avoided. Leading a healthy lifestyle that includes a diet low in fat and calories, as well as physical activity, can go a long way in reducing one’s chances of developing diabetes.
Good blood sugar management is achievable through a healthy diet rich in vegetables and lower in calories and fat.
In fact, a recent study published in The Lancet and reported in HealthDay News, once again confirmed that diet and exercise were successful in reducing risk for those most in jeopardy of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study, which lasted a decade and included more than 3,000 overweight and obese adults, showed that those who lost weight through reducing caloric intake and increasing physical activity cut their risk of getting diabetes by one-third, compared to those with no intervention.
In summary, better health can be achieved through lifestyle choices that includes a diet lower in fat and calories as well as exercising regularly. These efforts will not only help you achieve your weight loss goals, but also reduce the risk of developing diabetes in the long run.
For more information on how to best lower your risk of diabetes, please see the American Diabetes Association’s “Diabetes PhD” (personal health decisions) risk assessment tool.
