Julie Funk, MS, RD, CDE, LDN
Director of Community Health and Wellness Services
Chester County Hospital; West Chester, PA
Published: November 9, 2015
The word epidemic is often enough to trigger the urgent response of many to get their annual flu shot every fall. But in the United States, we are in the midst of another epidemic that should make us all take notice and for many, take action. This epidemic is just as real, on a significant rise, far more devastating, and as yet has no immunization. The epidemic is diabetes.
Here in Pennsylvania, it is estimated that the number of residents living with diabetes, including undiagnosed, is likely to increase 41% by 2025. The resulting medical and societal costs of diabetes will be more than $18 billion - a 48% increase from 2010.In the US, 29 million adults and children are living with diabetes. A staggering 8.1 million of these people are as yet undiagnosed making them particularly at risk for developing many of the complications of diabetes due to being unaware and having no treatment.
Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations and new cases of blindness. This metabolic disease affecting the body's ability to properly regulate blood glucose (blood sugar) is also a major cause of heart disease and stroke. Recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control predict a dramatic increase in diabetes between 2010 and 2050 because one in every three Americans is at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. These facts highlight how critical it is for Americans to know if they are at risk or may actually have diabetes. Finding out this information, along with education and proper medical management, can help arrest the progression and prevent the complications of diabetes that do not need to occur. A place to start is to take a diabetes risk test at http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/.
Type 2 diabetes is frequently associated with obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression. The American Diabetes Association recommends that testing for diabetes be considered for adults of any age who are overweight or obese and who have at least one risk factor. Uncontrollable risk factors include being older than 45, having a family history of diabetes, or coming from a certain family background at high risk for diabetes (African American, American Indian, Asian American or Pacific Islander, or Hispanic/Latino). Controllable risk factors include being overweight or inactive, eating an unhealthy diet, smoking, or having a higher than normal blood glucose, blood pressure or cholesterol level. For anyone else without these risk factors, testing should begin at age 45 and be repeated every three years. A diagnosis of diabetes is confirmed with a blood test evaluated by your health care provider.
For the 86 million adults with prediabetes - a condition of blood glucose values higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes - the news is good: intervention with lifestyle modifications has been shown to help prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Given that the number of people with prediabetes is predicted to double by 2025, it's imperative to know your risk factors, get screened and take preventive action. We know that exercising 30 minutes a day, most days of the week, even if broken up into smaller 10-minute increments, can make a difference. This, coupled with changes in food choices and portions that result in a 5-7% weight loss, has been shown to help prevent prediabetes from progressing to Type 2.
The idea is to move more and eat less to lose enough weight to help your body use its blood sugar properly. While not quite the same, or as easy as an immunization, prevention can saves lives.
This article was published as part of the Daily Local News Medical Column series which appears every Monday. It has been reprinted by permission of the Daily Local News.
Related Information from Chester County Hospital: