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What is Diabetes?
More than 120 million people in the world and 16 million Americans have a form of Diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus). More than 5.4 million Americans are unaware they have Diabetes. Estimates place the dollar costs of Diabetes at $98 billion each year.
Although the cause is still unknown, it is a metabolic disorder that is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the U. S. After diagnosis, diabetics must monitor glucose levels and administer insulin for a lifetime. Complications of diabetes include:
Juvenile Diabetes (Type 1 Diabetes):
As the name suggests, Juvenile Diabetes occurs in children and young adults whose pancreas does not produce insulin, needed to convert sugars into energy. Juvenile Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children ages 10-12 for girls and 12-14 for boys) requiring them to monitor and maintain their glucose levels with insulin injections. Diabetes tends to run in families indicating both genetics and family environments are both involved.
Adult Onset Diabetes (Type 2 Diabetes):
Adult Onset Diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for nearly 95 percent of diabetics. Adult Onset Diabetes occurs in adults, usually age 45 or older, whose bodies cannot make enough insulin or cannot correctly use their body’s insulin to convert sugars and starches into energy. Because of our aging population and the propensity of American adults toward increased obesity and overall decreased exercise levels, Adult Onset Diabetes is now considered to be epidemic. Many adult onset diabetics are able to treat their diabetes with oral medication rather than insulin injections.
Although every race and ethnic group is affected by Diabetes, Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders are more susceptible to Diabetes than other ethnic groups.
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