By Vicki Haywood Doe Ph.D., ACSM-EP
Updated- January-2024
Diabetes, a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal, has become a growing health epidemic in the United States.
According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report, as of 2021 approximately 38 million people of all ages or 11.6% of the US population had diabetes. Of the adults 18 yrs. or older, 38.1 million, that's 14.7% of all US adults ( about 1 in every 10 people) had diabetes.
What is diabetes?
The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin which enables glucose to be taken up by the cells of our bodies. With this disease, your body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use its insulin as well as it should. This causes blood glucose to build up in the blood and causes abnormal blood glucose levels.
These high blood glucose levels can rake havoc on the blood vessels and nerves, and cause serious damage to the major organs of the body. Some of the health complications of diabetes are kidney failure, atherosclerosis, blindness, amputation of feet and limbs, peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension. The CDC estimates that both the direct and indirect healthcare costs for the treatment of diabetes can run about $413 billion annually.
Diagnosis is the first critical step
Diagnosis is the first critical step in preventing the many health complications related to diabetes. Only approximately 22.8% of diabetics know that they have the disease. There are 8.7 million who meet the criteria for having diabetes and are clueless about the fact that they are diabetic.
The condition “pre-diabetes” affects about 98 million individuals ( more than 1 in 3) in the US and is associated with an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Furthermore, more than 8 in 10 adults don't know that they have prediabetes as well.
The risk of getting diabetes increases as we age. According to the CDC, 29.2% of adults aged 65 years or older are diabetic.
What can be done?
Each individual needs to take a proactive approach and control their health by “knowing their numbers”; most especially pre-diabetics and diabetics. Knowing/keeping your blood glucose levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, BMI (body mass index), and weight within the normal target range will not only help you control your health but reveal whether you have abnormal target levels and are at risk.
Most people who are pre-diabetic or diabetic have no symptoms at all. They may not find out that they have abnormal blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood glucose target levels until they experience serious diabetes-associated health complications.
The American Heart Association and the National Diabetes Education Program recommend
The American Heart Association and the National Diabetes Education Program recommend the normal target range for reducing diabetes-related heart disease and stroke as follows:
HbA1C (blood glucose) for pre-diabetics should be less than 6 percent; for diabetics less than 7 percent. A blood test can be done by your healthcare provider at least once a year.
Blood Pressure should be less than 130/80 mmHg and can be checked at every doctor’s visit.
Cholesterol (LDL) should be less than 100 mg/dl; HDL cholesterol should be above 40 mg/dl for men and above 50 mg/dl for women. A blood test is done by your healthcare provider at least once a year.
BMI (body mass index) should be 18-6 -24.9 and a waistline smaller than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men.
Controlling diabetes and keeping optimal target levels of “your numbers” can be successfully done through healthy eating, regular exercise, proper medications, and weight control. You can successfully monitor your numbers between doctor visits with the easy-to-use automatic BP monitor/cuff, the home glucose monitors, and of course, the scale and tape measure.
Remember to communicate and maintain positive relationships with your doctor, dietitian, exercise specialist, and other healthcare personnel because these professionals can guide you, help you with any questions, and offer you much-needed motivation and encouragement.
We must follow the recommendations of the American Heart Association. and the National Diabetes Education Program for managing diabetes-related heart disease and stroke. Maintaining healthy levels of HbA1C, BP, cholesterol, and BMI can greatly improve your overall health. Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider and using monitoring devices at home can help you stay on track. Building positive relationships with your healthcare team is also crucial for support and guidance.
Let's be Proactive!!!
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Article’s Sources
National Diabetes Statistics Report-
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics-report/index.html#:~:text=Among%20the%20US%20population%20overall,Table%201a%3B%20Table%201b).
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases- www.niddk.nih.gov/
National Diabetes Education Program- http://ndep.nih.gov/
Staying healthy with Diabetes http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/healthy.htm
Know your Health numbers http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/conditions/diabetes
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