Federal health officials have reported that of the estimated 79 million Americans whose wellbeing is at risk of diabetes, only 11% know about it. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these people have a condition known as pre-diabetes, which means that their blood sugar levels are higher than normal, which puts them in danger of developing diabetes.
Report author Ann Albright, director of the CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation, explained, ‘We have a huge issue with the small number of people who know they have it. It’s up a bit from when we measured it last, but it’s still abysmally low. We need people to understand their risk and take action if they are at risk for diabetes. We know how to prevent type 2 diabetes, or at least delay it, so there are things people can do, but the first step is knowing what your risk is – to know if you have pre-diabetes.’
Albright said that there are many wellness risk factors for having pre-diabetes, including being overweight or obese, being physically inactive and not eating a healthy diet. She noted that whether or not you fall into one of these categories, it’s always a good idea to see your doctor and have your blood sugar levels checked. The disease also has a genetic component, according to Albright, which is why having a family history of diabetes is another risk factor. ‘Your genetics loads the gun, then your lifestyle pulls the trigger,’ she said.
The report was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and showed that the lack of pre-diabetes awareness was the same across the board, irrespective of income, education, health insurance or access to health care. Dr Spyros Mezitis, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said that the numbers are, at the very least, troubling. ‘People don’t know about pre-diabetes, they don’t exercise, they don’t eat appropriate foods and we are going to have many more diabetics in the near future than we have now,’ Mezitis said.
Pre-diabetes is such a concern because it can lead to diabetes, as well as problems with your heart, kidneys, circulation and vision. Albright noted that 30% or more of those with pre-diabetes will develop diabetes over the next ten years, but she also pointed out, ‘the good news is we know there are things you can do to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes. You can prevent or delay diabetes if you lose 5% to 7% of your body weight and get 150 minutes of physical activity a week.’
Dr Joel Zonszein, director of the Clinical Diabetes Centre at Montefiore Medical Centre in New York City, added that exercise and diet can reduce your risk of diabetes by about 58%, and ‘giving the drug metformin can reduce the risk by 31%. Lifestyle changes, together with metformin, which the American Diabetes Association recommends for pre-diabetes, will be very effective.’
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