American Diabetes Month: Don't Be 1 in 3
by Greene County Medical Center - November 11, 2016
November is American Diabetes Month – and the statistics for this chronic condition are startling.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 3 people will develop diabetes. Medical costs are twice as high for those with diabetes and, for adults, the risk of death is 50% higher. In the United States, 29 million people have diabetes, and yet 1 out of 4 don’t know they have it.
The three main types of diabetes are:
- Type 1 – your body is not producing needed insulin, so you need to have insulin added. (Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.)
- Type 2 – your body doesn’t use insulin well and is unable to keep blood sugar at normal levels. (Nine out of ten people with diabetes have type 2.)
- Gestational – you have diabetes while pregnant.
Do you have diabetes and not know it? Are you at risk?
Risk factors include:
- Weight (being overweight is a significant factor)
- Age (45 years or older)
- Family history of type 2 diabetes
- Little or no physical activity (less than 3x a week)
- Previously having gestational diabetes or giving birth to an infant weighing more than 9 pounds
Given these risk factors, it’s easy to see that for many, diabetes is a preventable disease. The CDC gives lifestyle change suggestions that could save your life:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Be physically active
- Take medications as prescribed
- Keep health care appointments
At Greene County Medical Center, there are many approaches to helping you with diabetes diagnosis and treatment:
- Our full services laboratory offers monthly wellness screenings that can identify potential risks, including your glucose (blood sugar) levels.
- Our diabetes management staff can help you with counseling/education; make recommendations to control blood sugars; and help you manage other risk factors that could lead to other complications like heart disease, blindness, or kidney disease.
- Providers at the adjoining UnityPoint Clinic can help you understand lab results and provide recommendations for diabetes prevention or management.
Diabetes is a significant factor in the health of so many Americans. Don’t be one who ignores the opportunity to be tested, educated or treated.
There isn’t a better time than during American Diabetes Month to get started. Call our diabetes management staff today at 515-386-0469 and learn about how we can facilitate your diabetes care.