More than 37 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have it.96 million US adults—over a third—have prediabetes, and more than 8 in 10 of them don’t know they have it. Diabetes is the 7 th leading cause of death in the United States (and may be underreported).
What is the No 1 cause of diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes – Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent, or adult-onset) results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin. More than 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.
How long can you live diabetes?
Life expectancy can be increased by 3 years or in some cases as much as 10 years. At age 50, life expectancy- the number of years a person is expected to live- is 6 years shorter for people with type 2 diabetes than for people without it. People with type 2 diabetes can reduce their risk of complications and live longer by achieving their treatment goals.
What age people get diabetes?
Healthy eating is your recipe for managing diabetes. More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens, and young adults are also developing it.
Does diabetes 1 ever go away?
Outlook (Prognosis) – Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease and there is no cure. Tight control of blood glucose can prevent or delay diabetes complications. But these problems can occur, even in people with good diabetes control.
What is the most common problem with diabetes?
Diabetes Complications Are Related – Diabetes complications often share the same risk factors, and one complication can make other complications worse. For example, many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure, which in turn worsens eye and kidney diseases.
Heart disease and stroke: People with diabetes are two times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke as people without diabetes. Blindness and other eye problems:
Damage to blood vessels in the retina ( diabetic retinopathy ) Clouding of the lens (cataract) Increase in fluid pressure in the eye (glaucoma)
Kidney disease: High blood sugar levels can damage the kidneys and cause chronic kidney disease (CKD), If not treated, CKD can lead to kidney failure. A person with kidney failure needs regular dialysis (a treatment that filters the blood) or a kidney transplant to survive.
About 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has CKD. You won’t know if you have CKD unless your doctor tests you for it. Nerve damage (neuropathy): One of the most common diabetes complications, nerve damage can cause numbness and pain. Nerve damage most often affects the feet and legs but can also affect your digestion, blood vessels, and heart.
Amputations: Diabetes-related damage to blood vessels and nerves, especially in the feet, can lead to serious, hard-to-treat infections. Amputation can be necessary to stop the spread of infection. And more:
Gum disease can lead to tooth loss and increased blood sugar, making diabetes harder to manage. Gum disease can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of depression, and that risk grows as more diabetes-related health problems develop. Gestational diabetes, diagnosed during pregnancy, can cause serious complications for mothers or their babies, such as preeclampsia (high blood pressure caused by pregnancy), injury from giving birth, and birth defects.
Complications usually develop over a long time without any symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to make and keep doctor and dentist appointments even if you feel fine. Early treatment can help prevent or delay diabetes-related health conditions and improve your overall health.