Power to Prevent Diabetes

Facts about Diabetes 20.8 million Americans are living with diabetes, and one-third of them don't even know it Diabetes kills more people each year than HIV/AIDS and breast cancer combined

Facts about Diabetes Cont’d Every year, one million new cases are diagnosed Experts are alarmed by the increase in Type-2 diabetes, which accounts for 90–95% of all cases

Facts about Diabetes Cont’d 13% of African Americans have diabetes and African Americans are twice as likely to develop the disease More and more children are being diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes, something unheard of a decade ago

What is Diabetes? Body does not produce insulin or doesn’t use it properly Insulin is a hormone made by a gland called pancreas When a person digests food, glucose or sugar is produced as a basic fuel for the cells of the body Insulin helps the glucose move from the blood into the cells

Types of Diabetes Type 1 Diabetes or Juvenile onset –Occurs in people younger than 30 years –Must be controlled by injecting insulin or using a pump –The body does not produce insulin –Insulin is needed for the body to use sugar (glucose)

Type 2 Diabetes Either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not use the insulin properly (“insulin resistant”) –Most common type in the US –Used to occur mostly in old people –Occurs in people who are overweight and inactive (9 out 10 newly diagnosed are overweight) –Can be controlled through meal plans and physical activities –some people take diabetes pills or insulin

Gestational Diabetes Occurs during pregnancy in women who have not been known to have had diabetes before pregnancy Becomes at much higher risk than other women to develop type 2 diabetes later in life Child born to a woman who had GD during pregnancy is also at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes

Pre-diabetes Blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not enough for the person to be diagnosed with diabetes –If the person does not make changes in their eating habits and physical activities, s/he will eventually develop diabetes

What Are the Symptoms? Early symptoms include: –Increased thirst –Frequent urination –Constant hunger –Blurred vision –Dizziness or lightheadedness –Tingling or numbness in hands and feet –Tiredness –Sores that are slow to heal –Yeast infections in women –Stomach pains

Risk factors One of the strongest risk factors for developing diabetes is obesity. – Eighty percent of Type- 2 diabetes sufferers are overweight

Other Risk Factors Family member with diabetes (blood relative) Older age –1 in 10 people over age 20 –1 in 5 people aged 60 or over Sedentary lifestyle (not much physical activity) History of diabetes during pregnancy Being of African descent

What are some complications of Diabetes? Heart disease Stroke High blood pressure Blindness Kidney disease Amputation of limbs Gum disease Nerve damage

What to Do to Prevent Diabetes? Involve the whole family in fun daily physical activities Involve all family members in preparing healthful meals and snacks Eat foods that are lower in fat and higher in fiber Lose weight if you are overweight or maintain a healthy body weight

How to Control Diabetes? If you have diabetes –Take control of your health by knowing your ABCs

What do We Mean by ABC?

A is for A1C (hemoglobin A1C) test It measures the average blood glucose level over the past 3 month The suggested target for this test result is below 7 Remember high blood sugar levels can harm your kidneys, feet and eyes

B is for Blood pressure High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard The suggested target for blood pressure is below 130/80 Remember high blood pressure and diabetes are a bad combination

C is for Cholesterol Bad Cholesterol or LDL builds up and clogs the arteries The suggested target for your LDL is below 100 Eating a diet high in animal or saturated fats can lead to build-up of bad cholesterol Diabetes and high cholesterol are a bad combination for the heart and blood vessels If one has diabetes, LDL should be below 100 If one has heart disease, LDL should be below 70

Plate Method Lunch/Dinner 1. Mark off half your dinner plate. This space is for vegetables. 2. Divide the other half in two. One half of this half is for potato, rice, or pasta. The other half is for meat, poultry or fish. This method is a quick and easy way of controlling your portions! Milk Fruit

Plate Method At Breakfast Milk Starch Meat/Protein Fruit