Diabetes Mellitus
Lora Stowitzky
Statistics
 Affects 23.6 million people in the
U.S.
- Diagnosed: 17.9 million people
- Undiagnosed: 5.7 million people
 7th leading cause of death in the U.S
(2006)
What is Diabetes?
 A chronic disease in which the body
can not properly use or make
insulin.
 Insulin- a hormone made in the
pancrease that turns sugar
(glucose) into energy for the body to
use
What happens without insulin?
Lack of insulin

Build up of glucose in the
blood (hyperglycemia)

Symptoms of Diabetes
Mellitus
Symptoms
 Frequent urination
 Excessive thirst
 Extreme hunger
- Cells are starved for energy
 Unexplained weight loss
- Insulin can not trigger the storage of fat
 Fatigue
 Delayed wound healing
Type I Diabetes Mellitus


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Juvenile diabetes
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
Autoimmune disorder
The body destroys the cells that
make the insulin
 Thus, the body can no longer
produce insulin
Type I Diabetes Mellitus
 Usually diagnosed in children &
young adults ( <30 years old)
 5-10% of diabetics
Type I Diabetes Mellitus
 RISK factors:
- Genetics
- Autoimmune history
 Type I is not preventable
Type I Treatment




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
Glucose monitoring often
Insulin injections
Exercise
Diet
Follow up with doctor
Educate yourself!
Type II Diabetes Mellitus
 Non-insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus
 Body makes insulin but most cells
do not use insulin properly
 Insulin resistance
 Slowly, the pancreas stops making
insulin.
Type II Diabetes Mellitus
 90-95 % of diabetics
 RISK factors
- Older age
- Family history
- Obesity
- Physical Inactivity
- Race and Ethnicity
Type II Risk Factors
 Obesity & Inactivity
- Studies find a relationship between
weight/activity level and Type II
- Seeing an increase in Type II
diabetes in children
Type II Diabetes Mellitus
 Race & Ethnicity
- African Americans
- Hispanic/Latino Americans
- American Indians
- Asian Americans
- Pacific Islanders
Type II Prevention
 If you have risk factors, prevent or
delay the onset of Type II by…
- Healthy diet
- Moderately intense exercise
(walking 2 1/2 hours each week)
Type II Treatment
 Goal: Control blood sugar (glucose)
- Glucose monitoring often
- Oral medicine / Insulin injections
- Diet
- Exercise / Weight management
- Follow up with doctor
- Educate yourself!
Diet - Carb Counting
 Carbohydrates raise blood glucose
levels
 Count your carbs for each meal
 Limit depends on your activity level
and medications
 Talk to your doctor about
determining carbs per meal
Diet - Create your plate
 Divide plate into 3 sections
- Large section - non-starch veggies
(spinach, cabbage, mushrooms)
- Small section - starch
(potatoes, whole grain breads)
- Small section - meat
(turkey, tuna, lean pork)
Diet - Individualized
 No one diet is appropriate for every
diabetic person
 Work with your doctor to come up
with a diet that is right for your
situation
Complications of Diabetes

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Heart disease
Blindness
Kidney damage
Diabetic neuropathy / nerve damage
 Prevent complications by managing
your glucose level, diet, and activity!
Diabetes Awareness
 November is American Diabetes
Month
 November 14 is World Diabetes Day
For more information:
www.cdc.gov
www.diabetes.org
www.ndep.nih.gov
Websites
 http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consu
mer/index.htm
 http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dia
betes/article_em.htm#Diabetes%20O
verview
 http://www.diabetes.org/