Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Diabetes

There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes (also called juvenile onset diabetes) usually occurs before the age of 35 and causes an insulin-dependent condition. Cells in the pancreas produce little or no insulin and the person needs insulin injections to survive. Type 2 diabetes, which used to be called non-insulin-dependent diabetes, usually begins after age 40, although even children may develop type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body does not make enough insulin, or cannot use the insulin it makes. The pancreas gland makes insulin. The food we eat is broken down into sugar or glucose. The blood carries the sugar to the cells of the body for energy. Insulin helps move the sugar from the bloodstream into the cells. When the body does not make enough insulin or cannot use insulin, sugar builds up in the blood. Diabetes is diagnosed when too much sugar remains in the blood.

Type 2 is much more common than type 1 and accounts for more than 85% of all diabetes. It affects about one of every 50 people in the US.

Risk factors include:

• a family history of diabetes
• being 40 years of age or more
• being overweight
• other autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's disease or Addison's disease.

While you can't change your family history or your age, you may be able to alter your lifestyle. Your lifestyle may help determine whether you develop diabetes and how well you respond to treatment. Control of weight by diet and exercise is very important.

Untreated or poorly controlled diabetes can have serious consequences. The most obvious is loss of consciousness, coma, and even death if the blood glucose level gets too high or too low. Diabetes also takes its toll on small blood vessels and nerves, causing problems in the eyes, skin, feet, and kidneys. Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet are common problems due to nerve damage. Stomach and sexual dysfunction problems can also occur if control of diabetes is poor. People with diabetes are at increased risk for atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) and hypertension (high blood pressure). In addition, they are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disorders (problems of the heart and blood vessels) and cataracts (opacity of the lens of the eye).

Warning signs may include:

• increased thirst and urination
• increased appetite
• weight gain or weight loss
• tiredness
• skin infections
• slow healing of sores
• blurred vision
• prickling, burning, or itching feeling in hands or feet.

• Have regular medical checkups. Don't wait for serious problems before making an appointment.
• If you have diabetes, follow the treatment prescribed by your health care provider.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat a low-fat, varied diet and exercise regularly. You may want to work with a nurse or registered dietitian to set up a diet program that meets your needs.
• Stop smoking. Smoking makes the effects of diabetes much worse.
• Practice weight control, particularly if you have a family history of diabetes.
• Be alert for warning signs of diabetes.