Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota
In an analysis of national survey data, researchers found that the prevalence of diabetes in U.S. adults is continuing to rise. Despite efforts to raise awareness of the problem, about a third of adults with diabetes still do not know they have it.
Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by elevated levels of glucose in the blood. Persistent high levels can lead to blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart disease, and stroke.
Are you at risk for diabetes? If you are over forty-five, ask your health care provider about testing for pre-diabetes. You should also ask about testing if you are younger than forty-five, overweight, and have another risk factor, such as you:
- Are forty-five or older
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Are overweight
- Have an inactive lifestyle (exercise less than three times a week)
- Are a member of a high-risk ethnic population such as African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, and Alaska Native, Asian American or Pacific Islander
- Have high blood pressure
- Have a low HDL cholesterol level or a high triglyceride level
- Have had diabetes that developed during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or have given birth to a baby weighing more than nine pounds
- Have polycystic ovary syndrome, a disorder that affects the female reproductive system
- Have acanthosis nigricans (dark, thick skin near neck or armpits)
- Have a history of disease of the blood vessels to the heart, brain or legs
- Have had an impaired glucose reading in a previous test
If you would like more information on “Diabetes Widespread in Adults” contact Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Emeritus University of Minnesota at waldn001@umn.edu. Be sure to watch for more Family Living Focus™ information in next week’s paper.