The risk factors for diabetes are well-known, and preventive methods
have been shown to work, so responsibility for managing the disease
rests largely on patients, according to health-care officials.Seven percent of the U.S. population has diabetes, according to the
American Diabetes Association. And while type 2 diabetes is considered
an epidemic by most medical officials, prevention and management of the
disease is possible.
Dana Clarke, a specialist at the Utah Diabetes Center, said that
healthy living begins with knowing family history, monitoring food
intake and regular activity.
By disregarding these "simple" steps, the damage from diabetes to the
body can be devastating. Blindness, heart attack, stroke and the
amputation of extremities are possible outcomes when diabetes is not
monitored or is ignored.
"The good news is we have the tools for educated and motivated people
to help manage their diabetes," Clarke said. "Not just day to day, but
for decades and ultimately a lifetime of healthy living."Type 2 diabetes is the most common form and is a result of the body not
producing enough insulin, or cells in the body ignoring the insulin
produced. Unlike type 1 diabetes, in which the body does not produce
insulin, it is possible to prevent type 2 diabetes with healthy habits
and regular observation.
In 2005, the American Diabetes Association reported that 9.6 percent of
people between the ages of 20 and 60 had diabetes. In age groups above
60, 20.9 percent of individuals had diabetes. Ethnic minorities are at
a higher risk of diagnoses for diabetes than whites, according to the
study.Clarke recommended that people pay particular attention to their weight
and blood pressure, because they are often precursors to a diagnosis of
prediabetes. Typically there is more than one factor that leads to
diabetes, such as cardiovascular health, genetics and dietary habits.
While these are not all under an individual's immediate control, steps
can be taken to reduce the likelihood of diagnoses.
"More important than anything is for those prone from a family history
for diabetes to know. Intervention is prevention at young ages," Clarke
said. "And I don't think we're doing that."