One in Five of You Reading This Have Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2004/may/15/diabetes.htm

 

One in Five of You Reading This Have Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes Researchers

estimated that 41 million American people have pre-diabetes with blood sugar

levels that put them at significant risk of developing the full-blown disease.

The criteria used to diagnose people with diabetes have been restructured

because of the high number of at-risk patients, who were misdiagnosed as not

having the condition. Experts stated that because of the jump in the

pre-diabetes rates, steps needed to be taken to prevent the likelihood of

full-blown diabetes.

One of the precautions recommended was following a modest diet and participating

in regular exercise.

 

U.S. Diabetes Statistics

 

 

18 million Americans are afflicted with full-blown diabetes.

 

 

Diabetes is cited as the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart

disease and amputations.

 

 

In the United States, diabetes claims 180,000 lives each year.

 

 

Obesity has often been linked to diabetes, a condition that people often develop

in their middle age, although it is becoming increasingly common at younger and

younger ages.

 

Blood sugar levels readings below 110 milligrams per deciliter, which were once

been measured by the “impaired fasting glucose” test, have since been changed.

The new guidelines reflected that only readings below 100 milligrams were

considered normal and anyone with a fasting glucose between 100 and 125

milligrams now fell under the category of pre-diabetic.

 

Candidates for the Test

 

 

Anyone considered overweight and over the age of 45

 

Suggestions have been made to doctors to test younger overweight people who

have other risk factors for diabetes such as family history of diabetes, bad

cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes during pregnancy or belong to

a racial minority group

 

Experts stressed that patients who tested positive for pre-diabetes could take

preventative measures such as implementing a moderate walking regimen and

working on losing 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight to avoid

developing the full-blown disease.

 

 

 

CBS News April 29, 2004

 

 

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

I was surprised when I recently learned that the number of people who have

pre-diabetes has more than doubled since the last estimate two years ago.

 

My surprise was that I missed that the American Diabetes Association had changed

the definition of normal to a fasting blood sugar between 100 and 125. Even the

CDC's Web page doesn't have the new definition yet. Previously, it has been

between 110.

 

Interestingly, I had said the number should have been that for many years.

 

Under the old criteria, there used to be 16 million pre-diabetics in the United

States and now there are 41 million, in addition to the 17 million with

full-blown diabetes.

 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 293 million people who live in

the United States and since 59 million have the problem, that means 20 percent

have either diabetes or pre-diabetes. Interestingly, in my own practice that

number is significantly lower. We have over 10,000 tests in our electronic

medical records database and we came up with the same percentage.

 

If you haven't had your fasting blood sugar taken recently, I would strongly

encourage you to do so.

 

It is a very inexpensive test that would be very helpful. The formal definition

of pre-diabetes is blood sugars over 110, yet below 126. However, realistically

it should be below 100. If your blood sugar is over 100, you will most certainly

want to use the two most effective “drugs” known for diabetes:

 

Diet and exercise.

 

One of the most important changes you could make to your diet is replacing grain

carbohydrates with vegetable greens. Making this change is critical to keeping

your insulin levels at an optimal level.

 

Eating too many carbohydrates causes insulin levels to rise, sending your body a

hormonal message essentially telling it to store fat while holding on to the fat

that is already there. So not only will excess carbohydrates make you fat, they

will make you stay fat.

 

Limiting sugar is crucial in moderating this insulin response.

 

Exercise is also another key factor to preventing diabetes.

 

Exercise works by increasing the sensitivity of insulin receptors so the insulin

that is present works much more effectively and your body doesn’t need to

produce as much.

 

Pre-diabetes is far easier to turn around in the earlier stages than the later

stages and achieving a healthy weight through diet and exercise can put most

people on the road to reversing the disease.

 

Related Articles:

 

Exercise Can Reverse Pre-Diabetes

 

Many Americans Have Pre-Diabetes

 

If Your Fasting Blood Sugar is Above 90 You Are At Risk of Heart Disease

 

How Diabetes Can Impact Your Health, and What You Can do About It

 

Obesity and Diabetes: A Growing Problem Among Americans

 

 

 

 

 

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