Why is diabetes awareness important? (CDC)
30.3 million US adults have diabetes (1 in 11). 1 in 3 people have prediabetes.
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of US death.
Diabetes and high blood glucose are the #1 cause of adult-onset blindness, kidney failure, and loss of toes or feet, and can lead to heart disease and stroke.
People diagnosed with diabetes spend an average of $16,752/year on health care- about 2.3 times more than people without diabetes.
In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than tripled as the American population has aged and become more overweight or obese.
In terms of your business, diabetes can make you miss work, decrease your productivity, or kill you. The worst thing?
1 in 4 with diabetes don't know.
9 in 10 people with prediabetes don't know.
DoIHavePrediabetes.org has a 1-minute, 7 question quiz to assess your risk
What is diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for 90 to 95% of cases. In type 2 diabetes, the body can't use the hormone insulin to move glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream to the cells that need it.
Risk factors of diabetes
Good news: You can prevent, delay, or reverse diabetes
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
If your prediabetes quiz shows you are at risk, a few lifestyle changes to lose 5-7% of weight can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. If you weigh 200 pounds, that's only 10-14 pounds! Talk with your health care provider.
Five quick tips to lower your risk of prediabetes and diabetes:
- Choose healthy foods- whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and lean meats. Drink water instead of soda, limit fried foods, switch to low-fat milk, and eat heart-healthy fats.
- Reduce portion sizes
- Get more active- 30 minutes of activity 5 days a week (walking counts!)
- Get friends and family involved
- Make a plan- set goals and take small steps to make them easier to reach
(Here are 50 more ways to prevent type 2 diabetes!)
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