The Lowdown on Diabetes

Diabetes has become a major public health concern. Consider that in 2005, 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 or older. That's one of the many reasons why it's important to learn as much as you can about preventing and managing this life-threatening disease. Let's start with the basics.

Diabetes is a disease that prevents your body from properly using the energy from food you eat. To understand diabetes, it helps to understand insulin and its role in metabolism. 

Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pancreas, an organ behind your stomach. Without it, your body cannot use sugar, or glucose, for energy. Most of what you eat and drink is broken down into a simple sugar called glucose, and insulin is the "key" that allows sugar to get into your cells for use as energy.

Type 1 diabetes:

The pancreas produces little or no insulin at all. People with type 1 diabetes MUST use insulin injections to control blood sugar. Type 1 is the most common form of diabetes in people aged 20 or younger, but it can occur at any age.

Type 2 diabetes:

The pancreas makes either an inadequate amount of insulin or the insulin made doesn't work as it should. In people with type 2 diabetes, sugar cannot get into the body's cells for use as energy, causing blood sugar to rise to dangerous levels. Type 2 diabetes is most common in people who are overweight and over age 45. Some people with type 2 diabetes can manage it with diet and exercise; others might require oral medication and/or insulin injections.

Pre-diabetes:

The condition that exists before type 2 diabetes develops. About 54 million people have pre-diabetes, but that doesn't mean a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is inevitable. Diet and exercise can reverse pre-diabetes.

Can diabetes Be Cured?

There is no cure yet, but most people with diabetes manage their condition and lead normal lives. Proper care is critical - uncontrolled diabetes can lead to serious complications including heart and kidney disease, blindness and nerve damage.

Other Types

Specific other types of diabetes might result from pregnancy (gestational diabetes), surgery and use of certain medications or various illnesses.