Know the Risks
Figure 5. Exercise reduces the risk of developing diabetes3
How to Reduce Your Risk
No matter your current risk, you can take
action now to change your lifestyle and
prevent diabetes. In 2012, 86 million
Americans were estimated to be prediabetic,
meaning they were in the final stages of
developing the condition.7 That is why it
important to make these changes quickly.
Early detection and treatment can prevent
the complications associated with the
disease. Some symptoms of diabetes include
tingling or numbness in limbs, blurred
vision, constant feelings of hunger or thirst,
frequent urination and fatigue.2 If you are
experiencing any of these symptoms and
think you may have diabetes, see your
doctor immediately. You can find additional
information about diabetes at
http://www.diabetes.org.
Works Cited
.
1.
2.
3.
Excess body fat results in higher blood sugar
and increased risk for diabetes. Minimizing
body fat is the first step to prevention. This
goes along with a healthy diet, which doesn’t
involve overeating or excessive sugar
consumption.6 Not smoking and keeping
blood pressure low will also reduce risk. The
most important behavior, however, is to live
an active lifestyle. Exercise will keep body fat
low, reduce blood pressure, and maximize the
body’s ability to use insulin and absorb sugar
from the blood.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Figure 1. Cover image credit to the American Diabetes
Association Houston8
"Diabetes: MedlinePlus." U.S National Library
of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine,
16 Sept. 2014. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
"Diabetes Symptoms." American Diabetes
Association. American Diabetes Association,
12 Sept. 2014. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
Exercise-and-fun. Digital image. Antonio
Moretti's Angry Trainer Fitness. 22 Jan. 2013.
Web. 5 Dec. 2014.
FCrudeAndAgeStandardizedPrevalence.
Digital image. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 5 Sept. 2014. Web. 5 Dec. 2014.
Getty_rf_photo_of_doctor_showing_man_how_t
o_inject_insulin. Digital image. WebMD.
WebMD, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 5 Dec. 2014.
"Preventing Diabetes." The Nutrition Source.
Harvard School of Public Health, 2014. Web.
03 Dec. 2014.
"Statistics About Diabetes." American
Diabetes Association. American Diabetes
Association, 10 Sept. 2014. Web. 05 Dec.
2014.
Stop-diabetes-stop-sign. Digital image.
American Diabetes Association Houston. 28
Aug. 2013. Web. 5 Dec. 2014.
Wilson, Jacque, and Sophia Dengo.
130306130912-cost-of-diabetes-2-01-storytop. Digital image. CNN Health. Cable News
Network, 6 Mar. 2013. Web. 5 Dec. 2014.
ARE YOU AT
RISK?
An outline of the risk factors of
Diabetes and methods of
prevention
Possible Complications
Associated with Diabetes
Figure 2. A doctor teaching a patient how to inject himself
with insulin.5
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition where the
body cannot effectively manage the levels of
sugar in the blood.1 In type 1 diabetes, the
body can no longer produce insulin, the
hormone which counteracts blood sugar, and
is a genetic, usually juvenile disease. Type 2
diabetes is the condition where cells become
resistant to insulin due to frequent
bombardment with blood sugar. Unlike type
1, type 2 is brought on by lifestyle choices and
body composition, and thus, is a preventable
disease. The information in this brochure will
give a comprehensive understanding of the
risk factors and precautionary measures to
prevent diabetes.
Diabetes Prevalence
In 2012, 29.1 Million Americans had been
diagnosed with diabetes, representing 9.3%
of the population.7 This statistic has
increased from 8.3% in 2010. More than a
quarter of the cases of diabetes go
undiagnosed in America.
If untreated, diabetes can be a deadly disease.
In the US alone, more than 70,000 people died
from diabetes-related complications in 2007.
For those who survive the condition, 60-70%
of diabetes sufferers will experience some
form of nerve damage from mismanagement
of the disease.7 Other complications include
limb amputation, blindness, diabetic coma
and kidney failure.
Figure 4. Shows the diabetes growth in the US since 19804
Who is at Risk?
Figure 3. The costs of diabetes9
The Costs of Diabetes
Diabetes causes great financial strain to its
sufferers. In 2012, the disease cost Americans
$245 billion, with $176 billion being
attributed to medical expenses and $69 being
attributed to lost productivity.9 While this
disease hurts the US economy, it has a greater
effect on the individuals who are managing
the condition. It is estimated that diabetes
patients spend 2.3 times more on medical
treatment than those without diabetes. This
equates to $7,900 per year for a diagnosed
case to manage their disease.7 Diabetes is a
burden on the US economy and on the
individuals who have the condition.
While type 1 diabetes risk factors are genetic,
type 2 risk factors can be controlled by the
individual. Lifestyle choices such as
sedentary living, presence of excess body fat,
high blood pressure, high concentration of
triglycerides in the blood, and low levels of
HDL “good” cholesterol.6 Risk also increases if
there is a family history of diabetes, as some
factors of type 2 are genetic.
Age is a major factor in the development of
type 2 diabetes. As we age, we become more
susceptible to developing the condition.
Being greater than 45 years old is considered
to be a risk factor.7 25.9% of Americans who
are 65 or older have diabetes, representing a
large portion of the prevalence.
Risk is also varies depending on ethnicity.
Native Americans have the greatest rate of
prevalence with 15.9%.7 Hispanics and
African Americans also experience a greater
risk with prevalence of 12.8% and 13.2%,
respectively.