November is National Diabetes Month – an opportunity to initiate a discussion with your accounts. It’s also a good time to gauge your own risk for the disease and take steps to prevent it.
Most people living with diabetes are unaware they have it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes – a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Although older individuals are at greater risk – half of all Americans 65 years and older have pre-diabetes – as much as 35 percent of adults 20 years and older have pre-diabetes, according to the CDC. Without making lifestyle changes, 15 to 30 percent of people with pre-diabetes are likely to develop diabetes type 2 within five years. But, by achieving a modest weight loss and regular physical activity, more than half of these individuals might avoid it.
In an effort to raise awareness about diabetes, the CDC has led the National Diabetes Prevention Program – an evidence-based lifestyle change program designed to help people reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half. According to Diabetes Prevention Program research:
- Making modest behavior changes has helped participants lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight – an equivalent of 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person.
- These lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in people with pre-diabetes.
Participants receive small-group sessions with a lifestyle coach to develop healthy eating and exercise habits, as well as identify success strategies for achieving them.
The more awareness about diabetes one has, the easier it is to prevent it. Several factors, such as the following, increase one’s risk for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes:
- Forty-five years of age or older.
- Overweight.
- A parent or sibling with diabetes.
- African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian American or Pacific Islander ethnicity.
- A history of gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing nine pounds or more.
- A pattern of physical activity less than three times each week.
There are several tests available to diagnose diabetes. (See related Disease States on glucose testing):
- Fasting glucose test. The test measures blood glucose in people who have fasted for at least eight hours. Fasting glucose levels of 100 to 125 mg/dL are diagnostic of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), also referred to as pre-diabetes. People with IFG often have had insulin resistance for some time and are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to the CDC.
- Glucose tolerance test. The test measures blood glucose in people following eight hours of fasting and two hours of drinking a lab- or physician-provided sweet drink. A blood glucose level between 140 and 199 mg/dL is called impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), also referred to as pre-diabetes. Like IFG, this suggests a history of insulin resistance and a risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Hemoglobin A1c test. The test, which does not require fasting, measures the amount of glucose that is on red blood cells. An A1c value of 5.7 percent to 6.4 percent indicates pre-diabetes.
Of the 26 million Americans estimated to have moved beyond pre-diabetes and developed type 2 diabetes, only 19 million are diagnosed, according to the CDC. The more sales reps know about pre-diabetes and diabetes, the better they can protect themselves, their family and their friends from developing symptoms, and the better they can service their accounts.
Shaded box: About diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Much of the food people eat is converted into glucose, or sugar, to be used for energy. The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that helps glucose penetrate the body’s cells. When people have diabetes, either their body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it can’t adequately use its own insulin, causing sugar to build up in their blood.
There are several types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes. At one time referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile-onset diabetes, type 1 diabetes accounts for 5 percent of all diagnosed cases of the disease.
- Type 2 diabetes. Previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of the disease.
- Gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes develops in about two to 10 percent of all pregnancies, but usually disappears when the pregnancy is over.
- Other types of diabetes. Between one and five percent of diabetes can result from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs, malnutrition, infections and other illnesses.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.