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HEALTHY LIFE: DIABETES
November 11, 2012
By BARB RANDALL
Pamplin Media Group
T
he number of Americans with diabe-
tes continues to increase, according
to the Center for Disease Control’s
(CDC) most recent National Diabetes
Fact Sheet. So does the number of Americans
with prediabetes, a condition that increases
their risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease
and stroke.
With diabetes, if blood sugar is consistently
high, over time it can affect the heart, eyes,
kidneys, nerves and other part of the body.
Sometimes people with diabetes don’t realize
that they have the disease until they begin to
experience other health problems.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of
death and can lead to permanent disability
and poor health. People with diabetes can ex-
perience numerous serious and deadly com-
plications including:
■
HEART DISEASE
— People with diabetes
have a higher risk for heart attack and stroke.
The risk of stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among
people with diabetes. Adults with diabetes
have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4
timers higher than adults without diabetes.
■
EYE COMPLICATIONS
—People with diabetes
have a higher risk of blindness and other vi-
sion problems. Diabetes is the leading cause of
new cases of blindness among adults aged 20
to 74 years.
■
KIDNEY DISEASE
— Diabetes can damage
the kidneys and may lead to kidney failure. It
is the leading cause of kidney failure, account-
ing for 44 percent of new cases in 2008.
■
NERVE DAMAGE OR NEUROPATHY
—Diabetes
can cause damage to the nerves that run
through the body.
■
FOOT PROBLEMS
— Nerve damage, infec-
tions of the feet and problems with blood flow
to the feet can be caused by diabetes. More
than 60 percent of leg and foot amputations
not related to accidents and injuries were per-
formed on people with diabetes. In 2006, that
amount was 65,700 amputations.
■
SKIN COMPLICATIONS
—Diabetes can cause
skin problems, such as infections, sores and
itching. Skin problems are sometimes the first
sign that someone has diabetes.
■
DENTAL DISEASE
— Diabetes can lead to
problems with teeth and gums, called gingivi-
tis and periodontitis.
The risks of complications can be decreased
through good management of diabetes and by
controlling blood glucose (sugar). At the fore-
front of goodmanagement is diet and exercise.
“For most ‘adult onset,’ or Type II diabetes
Mellitus patients, appropriate nutrition and
regular exercise is and will always be the
foundation to DM (diabetes Mellitus) thera-
py,” said David H. Lee, M.D., with Legacy
Health.
Keith H. Bachman, M.D., clinical lead of
Kaiser Permanente’s Care Management In-
stitute and Weight Management Initiative,
agrees that intensive lifestyle changes (diet
and exercise) and adequate medicine were
key components for successful management
of diabetes.
He also stressed that prevention of diabetes
was critical, noting an increase in the number
of Americans deemed borderline diabetic was
increasing, and that the disease is prevent-
able.
“If a person with prediabetes reduced their
weight by even five percent and follow a
healthy diet they would see a reduction in risk
factor,” he said. “Some factors you can’t con-
trol, such as aging and family history, but
weight status and exercise — those behaviors
you can control.”
Bachman sited exercise, both aerobic and
weight training were important for diabetics
to incorporate into their lifestyle. However, he
encourages all people, regardless of their dia-
betes status, to adopt a more healthful life-
style.
“Americans are too sedentary,” he said. “We
need to walk more. It would benefit everyone
to get 30 minutes of walking every day.” In
fact, Kaiser Permanente has launched Every-
bodyWalk.org, a web site devoted to encourag-
ing people to walk at least 30 minutes.
Bachman also encourages people to kick
the soda habit and drink more water instead.
The CDC estimates that as many as one in
three U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050,
if current trends continue.
Complications
— diabetes poses serious health threats
Keith H. Bachman,
M.D., clinical leader
of Kaiser
Permanente’s Care
Management
Institute and
Weight
Management
Initiative, says
lifestyle changes
often are needed to
manage diabetes.
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