MANY WITH DIABETES ARE NOT TAKING STEPS TO STAY HEALTHY

COLLEGE STATION — Diabetes awareness has increased significantly over the years, but people still are not making adjustments to stay healthy, according to a spokesperson with the American Diabetes Association-Texas Affiliate.

“This year, we want to target those who already know that they have diabetes, especially during National Diabetes Month in November,” said Bob Briggs, vice president for marketing. “If people make the adjustments they need, they can avoid complications.”

Half of the 14 million Americans and the nearly one million Texans who have diabetes are unaware that they have it, he said. Those most at risk of having diabetes include:

* People over 30 years of age who are overweight or have a family history of diabetes.

* Women who have babies that weigh more than nine pounds at birth.

* African-Americans, who are 1.6 times as likely to have diabetes as the general population. An estimated two million African- Americans have diabetes.

* Mexican-Americans, who are more than twice as likely to have diabetes. It is estimated that more than one million Hispanics in the United States have this disease.

Research shows that more than 160,000 persons will die from diabetes and its related complications this year, Briggs said. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness, heart disease, kidney disease and limb amputations.

“The complications of diabetes can be reduced substantially by appropriate diet, regular exercise, regular blood sugar monitoring and, in some cases, with medicine and insulin,” Briggs said. Since the body produces glucose from the foods you eat, eating right is the first step in controlling diabetes, said Dr. Mary Kinney Bielamowicz, a registered dietitian and professor with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

Most people — about 95 percent — have the non-insulin dependent or type II diabetes, she said. The pancreas produces some insulin, but the body is unable to use it properly. This causes glucose to build up in the blood, leading to high blood-glucose or blood sugar levels.

This common type of diabetes usually occurs in adults 35 or older, she said. Symptoms are blurred vision, excessive tiredness, weight gain or loss and wounds or scratches that will not heal properly. In most cases, symptoms can be controlled by weight loss, good diet and exercise.

Fewer people have insulin-dependent or type I diabetes, which usually occurs in early childhood, she said. Symptoms in children include extreme thirst, fatigue, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting.

The pancreas does not produce enough insulin to meet the body’s needs and insulin injections allow the body to use glucose which the body produces from foods for energy, Bielamowicz said.

“Dietary goals for people with insulin-dependent diabetes require a meal plan that will help maintain day-to-day consistency in the amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat that’s eaten at each meal,” she said. “Balance is important because consistent food intake will help ensure that there’s enough glucose in the bloodstream at the times when insulin is peaking.”

Maintaining proper weight is another important factor for many with diabetes, Bielamowicz said. Activity plays an important part in staying healthy and keeping blood glucose levels within normal limits.

“Because the majority of people with non-insulin diabetes are overweight, most are advised to lose extra pounds,” she said. “Even slight weight losses have dramatically improved blood-glucose levels by helping the body use its own insulin more efficiently.

“It doesn’t matter what type of diabetes you have,” Bielamowicz said. “The important thing is that you check with a physician, dietitian, nurse or certified diabetes educator who can help you understand and practice self-care behaviors such as glucose monitoring, nutritional management and exercise to improve your quality of life.”

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