Type 2 Diabetes: Are You At Risk?
November 1, 2019
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), type 2 diabetes affects approximately one out of every 10 Americans. Defined as abnormally high levels of blood glucose, it is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and often leads to other health problems such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, amputation and kidney failure.
Before developing diabetes, most people have prediabetes, a condition characterized by blood sugars that are elevated but not high enough for the diagnosis of diabetes. The CDC estimates that more than one out of every three Americans have prediabetes and, because there are typically no symptoms, 90% of them do not know they have it. The good news is – prediabetes can be reversed.
Prediabetes is caused by insulin resistance, a condition that prevents the cells in your body from responding to insulin properly. Insulin is a natural hormone made by beta cells in the pancreas. It acts as a key to unlock cells so that glucose can enter and be used for energy. When the cells do not respond appropriately to insulin, the pancreas tries to keep up by producing more and more insulin. Over time, the pancreas can’t keep up and glucose starts to build up in the bloodstream.
Many people have prediabetes for years and do not know it. Therefore, it is important to know the risk factors, which include:
- Being overweight.
- Being over age 45.
- Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes.
- Being physically inactive.
- Having a history of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy).
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Being African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Pacific Islander or Asian American.
If you think you might be at risk for prediabetes, you can visit https://www.diabetes.org/risk-test to take a short risk assessment survey. Your doctor can also order a simple blood test to determine if you have prediabetes. A hemoglobin A1c between 5.8%-6.4% or a fasting blood glucose between 100-125 is considered prediabetes.
Without lifestyle changes, people with prediabetes are very likely to develop type 2 diabetes. However, studies have shown that modest weight loss and increased physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in those with prediabetes. In fact, losing just 5%-7% of your body weight and participating in 150 minutes of physical activity per week can make a huge difference!
Prevent T2, a CDC-approved Lifestyle Change Program, can help you make and maintain those changes. With the help of a trained lifestyle coach, you will learn to make healthy changes that can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes by as much as 58% (71% if you’re over the age of 60). Some topics include learning how to eat healthy, adding physical activity to your routine, managing stress, staying motivated and solving problems that can get in the way of your health goals.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler is excited to announce that they will launch their first Prevent T2 Lifestyle Change Program on November 5, 2019, at 6 p.m. in the School of Community and Rural Health. The program is completely free and open to patients, employees and members of the community. Participants will receive a $5 gas card at every session they attend.
The best time to prevent type 2 diabetes is now!
For additional information, contact:
Laura Dove
(903) 877-5053
Type 2 Diabetes: Are You at Risk by Laura Dove, MSN, RN, CDE