Diabetes Statistics – Symptoms and Prevention
CDC- Center for Disease and Control reports:
- Total: 38.4 million people have diabetes (11.6% of the US population)
- Diagnosed: 29.7 million people
- Undiagnosed: 8.7 million people (22.8% of people with diabetes are undiagnosed)
- Children and People under the age of 20 account for 352,000
- Pre-diabetes 97.6 million 18 and over
Diabetes cost to the nation is 413 billion a year. It is the 8th leading cause of death.
Diabetes Risk Factors
- Overweight
- Physically inactive
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
Diabetes Signs or Symptoms:
If you have a family member with diabetes – get tested for diabetes at your annual physical.
You may experience some of these or none of these common diabetes symptoms:
- Unquenchable thirst
- Frequent urination
- Blurry vision
- Lethargic
- Fluctuation your weight
- Sores that don’t heal
- Tingling in your hands and feet
- Red swollen gums sometimes can be an indication.
Diabetes complications affect your vision, your heart, and your body’s ability to feel the nerves in your hands and feet.
Diabetes Prevention
If you have a higher probability of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, then taking these steps can prevent or delay a diabetes diagnosis:
- If diabetes runs in your family and you have excess weight- get tested for diabetes.
- Watch what you are eating- trade out your favorite foods for a lower-carb version of the same meal. You can go to the Sugar Happy Kitchen for recipe ideas.
- Start exercising at least 30 minutes a day- five days a week. Work with a healthcare professional to decide which exercise is best suited for you and how long you can exert yourself. Having an exercise coach can make a big difference. You can work with someone or use an App.
- Set weight loss goals with a healthcare professional and get a scale to measure your results.
- Surround yourself with people that keep you motivated.
- Stay inspired by reading other people’s success stories, reminding you that you can achieve your goals. š
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