Diabetes:Devastating Disease in People of Color

Did you know that in 2013, black Americans were twice as likely to die from diabetes as white Americans?

What is diabetes?

Your body is like a complex factory and needs energy to run. It converts foods you consume or eat into an energy source called glucose (a sugar). Glucose is carried by the blood stream to the body cells. Insulin, a hormone released by an organ called the pancreas is necessary for cells to uptake glucose. Diabetes develops when the body doesn’t make enough insulin or is not able to use insulin effectively, or both. As a result, glucose builds up in the blood instead of being absorbed by body cells . There are three main types of diabetes, Type 1, Type 2 and gestational:

What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes?

• Urinating(peeing often)
• Being very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry
• Losing weight without trying
• Feeling very tired
• You may not have any signs or symptoms

What are the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes?

• Being overweight or obese and have one or more of the following:
• Little physical activity
• Parent, brother, or sister with diabetes
• Family background that is African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander American
• History of giving birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds
• History of gestational diabetes
• High blood pressure—140/90 mmHg or higher—or being diagnosed with high blood pressure
• HDL or good cholesterol—level below 35 mg/dL or a triglyceride level above 250 mg/dL

What can I do to reduce my chance of developing Type 2 diabetes?

1. Prediabetes is when the amount of glucose in your blood is above normal yet not high enough to be called diabetes.
2. With prediabetes your chance of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease of stroke are higher.
3. With some weight loss and moderate physical activity you can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.

A major research study, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), proved that people with prediabetes were able to sharply reduce their risk of developing diabetes during the study by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity. Study participants followed a low-fat, low-calorie diet and engaged in regular physical activity, such as walking briskly five times a week for 30 minutes. These strategies worked well for both men and women in all racial and ethnic groups, but were especially effective for participants age 60 and older. A follow-up study, the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS), showed losing weight and being physically active provide lasting results. Ten years after the DPP, modest weight loss delayed onset of type 2 diabetes by an average of 4 years.

You can prevent Type 2 diabetes:

1. Take the prediabetes risk quiz Prediabetes Risk Quiz
   
2. See your doctor or visit a health clinic or fair to get your blood glucose tested
3. Join a Centers for Disease Control recognized Diabetes Prevention Program Diabetes Prevention Programs
   
4. Eat healthy Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
   
5. Be more active
6. Loose weight

Sources

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Last updated: 16-April-2016
Webmaster: Suzanne Pearson
For questions or comments contact suzpearson@kinpeople.com
©copyright 2015 by Suzanne Pearson