Diabetes
FNEP STAFF TRAINING ONLY, DO NOT USE WITH
FNEP PARTICIPANTS
Melissa Bess
Nutrition and Health Education Specialist
07/2007
Overview
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Statistics
What is diabetes?
Blood glucose
Types of diabetes
Diabetes pyramid/nutrition
Relation to other chronic diseases
Prevention
Are you at risk?
Myths about diabetes
Statistics
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20.8 million children and adults
7% of the population
14.6 million = diagnosed
6.2 million = unaware
About equal in men and women
2 to 4 times higher in non-Hispanic
blacks, Hispanic/Latino American,
American Indian, and Asian/Pacific than
non-Hispanic whites
• 5th deadliest disease in U.S., no cure
What is diabetes?
• Carbs digested into glucose
• Glucose = energy for cells
• Insulin (hormone) “unlocks” cells for
glucose
• In diabetes:
– Not enough insulin
– Insulin doesn’t work properly
• Exact cause is mystery but genetics and
environment plays a role
When things work correctly
Glucose enters the cell
What goes wrong in diabetes
(Slide depicts insulin resistance – Body can’t use insulin)
Blood glucose
• Hypoglycemia
– Low blood glucose
• Hyperglycemia
– High blood glucose
• Fasting blood glucose
– Healthy = under 100
– Pre-diabetes = 100-125
– Diabetes – 125 or higher
Types of diabetes
• Type I
– Body does NOT produce insulin
– 5-10% of Americans
– Used to be called “juvenile-onset”
• Type II
– Insulin resistance – body doesn’t use insulin
properly
– May be combined with insulin deficiency
– Larger percentage of people
– Used to be called “adult-onset”
Types of diabetes
• Gestational diabetes
– 4% of pregnant women in the U.S. each
year
– Usually goes away after pregnancy
• Pre-diabetes
– Higher blood glucose levels than normal,
but not high enough for diagnosis
– 54 million Americans
– Proper steps can delay or prevent diabetes
Symptoms of developing diabetes
• Extreme thirst
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained weight loss
• Contact a doctor if you exhibit these
symptoms
Diabetes pyramid/nutrition
Source: American Diabetes Association
Diabetes pyramid/nutrition
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Carbs
What food groups are higher in carbs?
Differences from Mypyramid
Serving sizes
Heart-healthy eating
Fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc.
Chronic diseases
• Those with diabetes:
– 2x higher risk for heart disease
– 4x higher risk for stroke
• Other complications:
– Foot problems
– Eye problems
– Kidney problems
– Teeth/gum problems
• People with diabetes must take care of
themselves!
Prevention of diabetes
• Healthy eating
• Exercise
– Exercise helps cell uptake glucose more
effectively
• Lose extra weight
• Monitor blood glucose
Are you at risk?
• Let’s take the quiz
Myths about diabetes
• Eating too much sugar causes diabetes
• You should never eat carbs if you have
diabetes
• If you have pre-diabetes, there is nothing you
can do to prevent Type II diabetes
• You can catch diabetes from someone else
• Sugar raises blood glucose/blood sugar more
than other carbs do
• Herbs and natural supplements can help
prevent or treat diabetes
For more info
• American Diabetes Association
– www.diabetes.org
• National Diabetes Information
Clearinghouse
– http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/