Understanding Diabetes: Signs, Symptoms and Prevention

Basics About Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Preventing Type 1 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
Signs and Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes through Diet and Exercise

PLEASE NOTE: When you've reviewed this information, you can print off a copy and share with your health care provider.

An estimated 16 million people in the United States have diabetes. Diabetes is all about blood sugar, the pancreas and insulin production. During digestion, food breaks into various substances, including a sugar called glucose. Glucose is your body's fuel, and it needs to be stored for future use. As blood glucose levels rise after meals, the pancreas responds by secreting insulin. In the blood, insulin finds the glucose and helps it move into cells. The glucose is used during physical activity or to maintain body functions, or is stored. Diabetes can cause:

• blindness
• kidney disease
• heart disease
• nerve damage
• premature death

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About 1.6 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, a disorder that usually shows up before age 30. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. People with type 1 diabetes need regular doses of insulin to survive.

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Catherine Cowie, PhD, with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), says that not enough is known about the cause of diabetes to say whether it is preventable. However, she looks to the NIDDK clinical trials for the answer. One part of the NIDDK clinical trials is looking at whether early use of insulin injections or capsules in people at risk of developing diabetes might keep the pancreas working correctly. Another part will be testing the ability of other medications to delay onset of the disease.

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More than 14 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, most often diagnosed in overweight people older than 30. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's tissue can't receive glucose, causing glucose to accumulate in the bloodstream. Eventually, the pancreas produces less and less insulin. People with type 2 diabetes sometimes need regular doses of insulin.

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• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger
• Fatigue
• Increased urination, especially at night
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Sores that do not heal

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• Age 45 or older (it is important to get tested)
• Family history of diabetes in your immediate family
• Sedentary lifestyle
• High blood pressure (at 140/90)
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Poor dietary habits
• Prior blood sugar tests indicating impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)
• High-risk ethnicity (African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic or Pacific Islander)
• Indication of a metabolic syndrome (hypertension, dyslipidemia, etc.)
• For women, a history of polycystic ovary syndrome, gestational diabetes, or delivery of an infant weighing nine pounds or more.

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More than 14 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, most often diagnosed in overweight people older than 30. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's tissue can't receive glucose, causing glucose to accumulate in the bloodstream. Eventually, the pancreas produces less and less insulin. People with type 2 diabetes sometimes need regular doses of insulin.

• Losing weight
• Getting regular exercise (30 minutes per day)
• Eating a healthful diet
• Getting tested for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) if other risk factors are present. IGT is when blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be called diabetes. Having IGT is closely associated with being overweight, not getting regular exercise and having relatives who have type 2 diabetes.

We know it can be challenging to get enough exercise and eat right. To help support your efforts, Care Choices HMO offers:

• Discounts on Health Education Classes and Nutritional Counseling at local hospitals.
• Patients with diabetes can receive up to two counseling sessions with a dietician per year.
• The Fit Kids, Healthy Future Program. In partnership with Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation and the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, this program promotes the importance of physical fitness and the reduction of obesity in children under 17. We sponsor free ice skating during the winter and free swim days in the summer.

To make sure you get all the nutrients and other substances you need for health, build a healthy base by visiting www.MyPyramid.gov as a starting point. The USDA's new food pyramid recognizes that one size doesn't fit all and symbolizes a personalized approach to healthy eating and physical activity.

To learn more about the USDA's MyPyramid, download Anatomy of MyPyramid.

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