Take Steps Against
Diabetes: What You
Can Do NOW
M. Elson, MD, MME
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
I have no financial conflicts of interest
I AM interested in promoting YOUR health
I have been to Spain! And the food was great!
When It Comes to Diabetes,
You Have Power
• Diabetes is a serious disease.
• You have the power to fight it!
• You can start taking steps NOW to delay or
prevent diabetes and its complications.
Start by Educating Yourself
Important things to learn:
• What is diabetes?
• If you have diabetes,
how can you manage it?
• What is pre-diabetes?
• What can you do to delay
• Who is at risk?
• Should you be tested for or prevent diabetes and
its
complications?
diabetes?
What Is Blood Sugar?
• During digestion, food is converted into
glucose, a sugar your body uses for energy.
• The hormone insulin ushers glucose (blood
sugar) into your cells for fuel.
• Diabetes affects how your body uses blood
sugar to fuel your body.
What Is Diabetes?
• In people with diabetes, insulin
doesn’t work properly, or their bodies
don’t make enough insulin.
• When insulin doesn’t do its job
effectively, cells don’t get the glucose
they need for fuel.
• When glucose can’t get into the cells,
it builds up in the blood and can harm
the body. This is called having high
blood glucose, or high blood sugar.
How Many People Have Diabetes?
• 25.8 million people in the U.S. have diabetes
(8.3 percent of the population).
• This includes 1.6 million children and teens.
• 7 million people have undiagnosed diabetes—
they have diabetes, but they don’t know it.
Diabetes by Type
• Type 1 diabetes
– also called insulindependent diabetes or
juvenile-onset diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
– also called adult-onset
diabetes, although
children and teens can
also get it
• Gestational diabetes
– develops during
pregnancy
– usually goes away after
delivery
Type 2 Is the Most Common Kind
of Diabetes
You Have Power!
• You can start taking steps today to
prevent or delay diabetes and its
complications.
• You can make small changes that
deliver big health rewards.
• You have the power to alter your
health!
Risk Factors for Diabetes
•
•
•
•
•
•
Being overweight or obese
Age (45 or older)
A family history of diabetes
Excess belly fat
A diagnosis of pre-diabetes
Inactivity (exercising fewer than
three times a week)
• Certain ethnic backgrounds
(African American, American
Indian, Asian American, Pacific
Islander, or Hispanic
American/Latino)
• High blood pressure (140/90 or
higher)
• Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol (35
or lower)
• High triglycerides (250 or higher)
• Pregnancy
• A history of gestational diabetes
or giving birth to a large baby
(9 pounds or more)
• Insulin resistance
• Cardiovascular disease or
polycystic ovary syndrome
Do You Have Pre-Diabetes?
• People with prediabetes have blood
sugar levels that are
higher than they
should be, but not
high enough to be
considered diabetes.
How Many People Have
Pre-Diabetes?
• 79 million American adults have pre-diabetes.
– 35 percent of adults age 20 or older
– 50 percent of adults age 65 or older
Pre-Diabetes Is a Warning
• Without making changes to improve their
health, 15 percent to 30 percent of people
with pre-diabetes will develop diabetes within
five years.
Excess Weight Is a Major Risk Factor
for Diabetes
• Being overweight or obese is the No. 1 risk
factor for developing diabetes.
• Being overweight makes you seven times
more likely to develop diabetes.
• Being obese makes you 20 to 40 times more
likely to develop diabetes.
How Do You
Weigh In?
Does your weight raise
your diabetes risk?
Check your weight on
this chart. If it is at or
above the amount listed
next to your height,
your weight may put
you at risk.
Height
Weight
(women)
Weight
(men)
5'0"
143
154
5'1"
146
157
5'2"
150
160
5'3"
154
162
5'4"
157
165
5'5"
161
168
5'6"
164
172
5'7"
168
175
5'8"
172
179
5'9"
175
182
5'10"
178
186
5'11"
182
190
6'0"
186
194
Measure Your Waist
• Having excess belly fat is another diabetes risk
factor.
• Anyone of any age who has excess belly fat (a
waist measurement of 40 inches or more for
men, or 35 inches or more for women) is at
risk even if he or she is not overweight.
How’s Your Blood Sugar?
• Ask your provider if you
should be tested!
Ways to Test for Diabetes
• We use three main kinds of blood testing to
check for diabetes:
– A1C test
– Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) test
– Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
Be on the Lookout for Diabetes Symptoms
•
•
•
•
•
•
Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Extreme hunger
Unexplained weight loss
Sudden vision changes
Tingling or numbness in hands or
feet
• Fatigue
• Very dry, itchy skin
• Sores that are slow to heal
• More infections than usual,
especially in the skin, gums,
bladder, or vagina
• Confusion or dizziness
• Breath that smells like nail polish
remover
• Darkening of skin around the
neck or in the armpits
• An absence of menstrual periods
• Unexplained nausea, vomiting, or
stomach pain
Now That You Know Your Risk
• You can start
taking steps
toward lowering
it!
Good News About Prevention
• The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a
major research study, found that people with
pre-diabetes could delay or prevent diabetes
without taking medication.
• Participants in the DPP who lost weight
through diet and exercise cut their diabetes
risk by 58 percent.
A Little Weight Loss Brings Big Rewards
• Participants in the DPP study lost just 5
percent to 7 percent of their body weight
through exercise and diet.
• For someone who weighs 200 pounds, that’s
only 10 to 14 pounds.
How Can You Lower Your Weight?
• Healthy Diet + Exercise = Weight Loss
Start With a Healthy Diet
Choose Whole-Grain Foods
Instead of…
Sugary cereals
White rice
White bread, bagels,
rolls, tortillas, crackers
White pasta
White flour
Chips, pretzels
Choose…
Whole-grain cereals, bran
cereals, oatmeal
Brown rice
Whole-grain bread, bagels,
rolls, tortillas, crackers
Whole-grain pasta
Whole-grain flour
Air-popped popcorn without
butter
Great Grains
• Try these delicious,
nutritious whole
grains:
– Buckwheat
– Bulgur
– Millet
– Quinoa
– Sorghum
– Whole rye
– Barley
Eat a Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables
• Diets that contain lots of fiber-rich fruits and
vegetables may reduce the risk of heart
disease, obesity, and diabetes.
Pick Powerful Proteins
• Choose low-fat or lean protein sources, such as:
– Lean meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish
– Low-fat or nonfat dairy (milk, cheese)
– Soy foods
– Eggs
– Nuts and seeds
– Dried beans, legumes, peas, and lentils
Choose Healthy Fats
• “Good” fats:
– Polyunsaturated
– Monounsaturated
– Omega-3
• “Bad” fats:
– Saturated
– Trans fat
Avoid Sugary Drinks
12 ounces of
Coca-Cola =
39 grams of
sugar (about
10 teaspoons)
12-ounce serving
of Nestea iced tea
= 33 grams of sugar
(about 8
teaspoons)
20-ounce bottle of
Coca-Cola = 65
grams of sugar
(about 16
teaspoons)
1.55-ounce
Hershey’s bar =
24 grams of sugar
(about 6
teaspoons)
Get Moving
• Becoming more active is another great way to
reduce your weight, lower your diabetes risk,
and boost your overall health.
How to Get Started
• Brisk walking is one of the best exercises you
can do—even if you’re overweight or obese.
• Begin with a few minutes of walking each day,
and build up from there.
• It’s OK to start slow!
Make It a Goal
• Your eventual goal: 30 to 60 minutes of
moderate exercise five or more days per week.
• If you use a pedometer, aim for 10,000 steps a
day.
• Set weekly goals, and reward yourself when
you reach them!
Take Breaks from Sitting
• Get up, stretch, and walk
around for a couple of
minutes every hour.
What Else Can You Do?
• Talk with your provider if you’re having
trouble sleeping.
• Quit smoking.
• Reduce stress.
If You Have Diabetes
• Control your blood sugar, •
and have it checked as
recommended
• Control your blood
•
pressure (to help your
kidneys)
• Control your blood lipids
Follow your provider’s
instructions about using
diabetes medication
Educate yourself about
how best to take care of
your health
Take Steps to Avoid
the Complications of Diabetes
•
•
•
•
•
•
Heart disease
Stroke
High blood pressure
Blindness
Kidney failure
Nervous system
damage
• Limb amputations
• Gum disease
• Problems with
everyday mobility
• Depression
What Have You Learned?
• Remember, you have the power to reduce the
risk of diabetes and its complications.
• By taking the steps outlined in this
presentation, you can live a healthier, happier
life.
Other Resources
• Your health care provider
• American Diabetes Association
(www.diabetes.org)
• A registered dietitian or certified diabetes
educator (www.ncbde.org)
• National Diabetes Education Program
(www.ndep.nih.gov)