What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition where the body does not make enough insulin or use the insulin it creates the way it should. As a result, the body isn’t processing food properly to produce energy. Instead, sugars build up in the blood leading to health complications.
The CDC estimates around 10% of people in the U.S. suffer from diabetes, with over 90% of diabetics having Type 2 diabetes.
The Types of Diabetes
Diabetes falls into two categories: Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 1 Diabetes
Typically referred to as juvenile-onsite diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Type 1 usually occurs due to an autoimmune or genetic factor. This type of diabetes doesn’t tie to lifestyle choices and doesn’t have a cure.
Type 2 Diabetes
Adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus ties more closely to lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. In recent years, the rate of children with Type 2 diabetes increased, likely due to higher rates of childhood obesity.
Who is at Risk for Diabetes?
For Type 2 diabetes, the risk factors are easier to identify. Individuals with the following risk factors have a higher occurrence of Type 2 diabetes.
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Older age
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Obesity
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Family history of diabetes
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History of gestational diabetes
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Sedentary lifestyle
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Race or ethnicity
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