Take Steps Against Diabetes: What You Can Do NOW

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Take Steps Against Diabetes What You Can Do NOW

• M. Elson, MD, MME

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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

• I have no financial conflicts of interest
• I AM interested in promoting YOUR health
• I have been to Spain! And the food was great!

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When It Comes to Diabetes, You Have Power

• Diabetes is a serious disease.
• You have the power to fight it!
• You can start taking steps NOW to delay or
  prevent diabetes and its complications.

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Start by Educating Yourself

• Important things to learn
• What is diabetes?
• What is pre-diabetes?
• Who is at risk?
• Should you be tested for diabetes?
• If you have diabetes, how can you manage it?
• What can you do to delay or prevent diabetes and
  its complications?

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What Is Blood Sugar?

• During digestion, food is converted into glucose,
  a sugar your body uses for energy.
• The hormone insulin ushers glucose (blood sugar)
  into your cells for fuel.
• Diabetes affects how your body uses blood sugar
  to fuel your body.

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What Is Diabetes?

• In people with diabetes, insulin doesnt work
  properly, or their bodies dont make enough
  insulin.
• When insulin doesnt do its job effectively,
  cells dont get the glucose they need for fuel.
• When glucose cant get into the cells, it builds
  up in the blood and can harm the body. This is
  called having high blood glucose, or high blood
  sugar.

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How Many People Have Diabetes?

• 25.8 million people in the U.S. have diabetes
  (8.3 percent of the population).
• This includes 1.6 million children and teens.
• 7 million people have undiagnosed diabetesthey
  have diabetes, but they dont know it.

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Diabetes by Type

• Type 1 diabetes
• also called insulin-dependent diabetes or
  juvenile-onset diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• also called adult-onset diabetes, although
  children and teens can also get it
• Gestational diabetes
• develops during pregnancy
• usually goes away after delivery

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Type 2 Is the Most Common Kind of Diabetes
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You Have Power!

• You can start taking steps today to prevent or
  delay diabetes and its complications.
• You can make small changes that deliver big
  health rewards.
• You have the power to alter your health!

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Risk Factors for Diabetes

• Being overweight or obese
• Age (45 or older)
• A family history of diabetes
• Excess belly fat
• A diagnosis of pre-diabetes
• Inactivity (exercising fewer than three times a
  week)
• Certain ethnic backgrounds (African American,
  American Indian, Asian American, Pacific
  Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino)

• High blood pressure (140/90 or higher)
• Low HDL (good) cholesterol (35 or lower)
• High triglycerides (250 or higher)
• Pregnancy
• A history of gestational diabetes or giving birth
  to a large baby (9 pounds or more)
• Insulin resistance
• Cardiovascular disease or polycystic ovary
  syndrome

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Do You Have Pre-Diabetes?

• People with pre-diabetes have blood sugar levels
  that are higher than they should be, but not high
  enough to be considered diabetes.

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How Many People Have Pre-Diabetes?

• 79 million American adults have pre-diabetes.
• 35 percent of adults age 20 or older
• 50 percent of adults age 65 or older

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Pre-Diabetes Is a Warning

• Without making changes to improve their health,
  15 percent to 30 percent of people with
  pre-diabetes will develop diabetes within five
  years.

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Excess Weight Is a Major Risk Factor for Diabetes

• Being overweight or obese is the No. 1 risk
  factor for developing diabetes.
• Being overweight makes you seven times more
  likely to develop diabetes.
• Being obese makes you 20 to 40 times more likely
  to develop diabetes.

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How Do You Weigh In?
Height Weight (women) Weight (men)
5'0" 143 154
5'1" 146 157
5'2" 150 160
5'3" 154 162
5'4" 157 165
5'5" 161 168
5'6" 164 172
5'7" 168 175
5'8" 172 179
5'9" 175 182
5'10" 178 186
5'11" 182 190
6'0" 186 194
Does your weight raise your diabetes risk? Check
your weight on this chart. If it is at or above
the amount listed next to your height, your
weight may put you at risk.
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Measure Your Waist

• Having excess belly fat is another diabetes risk
  factor.
• Anyone of any age who has excess belly fat (a
  waist measurement of 40 inches or more for men,
  or 35 inches or more for women) is at risk even
  if he or she is not overweight.

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Hows Your Blood Sugar?

• Ask your provider if you should be tested!

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Ways to Test for Diabetes

• We use three main kinds of blood testing to check
  for diabetes
• A1C test
• Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) test
• Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)

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Be on the Lookout for Diabetes Symptoms

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unexplained weight loss
• Sudden vision changes
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Fatigue
• Very dry, itchy skin
• Sores that are slow to heal

• More infections than usual, especially in the
  skin, gums, bladder, or vagina
• Confusion or dizziness
• Breath that smells like nail polish remover
• Darkening of skin around the neck or in the
  armpits
• An absence of menstrual periods
• Unexplained nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain

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Now That You Know Your Risk

• You can start taking steps toward lowering it!

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Good News About Prevention

• The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a major
  research study, found that people with
  pre-diabetes could delay or prevent diabetes
  without taking medication.
• Participants in the DPP who lost weight through
  diet and exercise cut their diabetes risk by 58
  percent.

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A Little Weight Loss Brings Big Rewards

• Participants in the DPP study lost just 5 percent
  to 7 percent of their body weight through
  exercise and diet.
• For someone who weighs 200 pounds, thats only 10
  to 14 pounds.

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How Can You Lower Your Weight?

• Healthy Diet Exercise Weight Loss

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Start With a Healthy Diet
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Choose Whole-Grain Foods
Instead of Choose
Sugary cereals Whole-grain cereals, bran cereals, oatmeal
White rice Brown rice
White bread, bagels, rolls, tortillas, crackers Whole-grain bread, bagels, rolls, tortillas, crackers
White pasta Whole-grain pasta
White flour Whole-grain flour
Chips, pretzels Air-popped popcorn without butter
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Great Grains

• Try these delicious, nutritious whole grains
• Buckwheat
• Bulgur
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Sorghum
• Whole rye
• Barley

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Eat a Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables

• Diets that contain lots of fiber-rich fruits and
  vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease,
  obesity, and diabetes.

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Pick Powerful Proteins

• Choose low-fat or lean protein sources, such as
• Lean meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish
• Low-fat or nonfat dairy (milk, cheese)
• Soy foods
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds
• Dried beans, legumes, peas, and lentils

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Choose Healthy Fats

• Good fats
• Polyunsaturated
• Monounsaturated
• Omega-3
• Bad fats
• Saturated
• Trans fat

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Avoid Sugary Drinks

• 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola 65 grams of sugar
  (about 16 teaspoons)

12 ounces of Coca-Cola 39 grams of sugar (about
10 teaspoons)
12-ounce serving of Nestea iced tea 33 grams of
sugar (about 8 teaspoons)
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Get Moving

• Becoming more active is another great way to
  reduce your weight, lower your diabetes risk, and
  boost your overall health.

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How to Get Started

• Brisk walking is one of the best exercises you
  can doeven if youre overweight or obese.
• Begin with a few minutes of walking each day, and
  build up from there.
• Its OK to start slow!

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Make It a Goal

• Your eventual goal 30 to 60 minutes of moderate
  exercise five or more days per week.
• If you use a pedometer, aim for 10,000 steps a
  day.
• Set weekly goals, and reward yourself when you
  reach them!

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Take Breaks from Sitting

• Get up, stretch, and walk around for a couple of
  minutes every hour.

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What Else Can You Do?

• Talk with your provider if youre having trouble
  sleeping.
• Quit smoking.
• Reduce stress.

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If You Have Diabetes

• Control your blood sugar, and have it checked as
  recommended
• Control your blood pressure (to help your
  kidneys)
• Control your blood lipids
• Follow your providers instructions about using
  diabetes medication
• Educate yourself about how best to take care of
  your health

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Take Steps to Avoid
the Complications of Diabetes

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• Blindness
• Kidney failure
• Nervous system damage
• Limb amputations
• Gum disease
• Problems with everyday mobility
• Depression

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What Have You Learned?

• Remember, you have the power to reduce the risk
  of diabetes and its complications.
• By taking the steps outlined in this
  presentation, you can live a healthier, happier
  life.

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Other Resources

• Your health care provider
• American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org)
• A registered dietitian or certified diabetes
  educator (www.ncbde.org)
• National Diabetes Education Program
  (www.ndep.nih.gov)