It’s no secret that diabetes is an increasing problem in our society. Although, if you ask most people on the street, they’ll tell you that while they know it’s a big problem, the disease doesn’t affect them. In fact, according to new statistics, one out of every three diabetic patients will answer this way, not knowing that they are actually in the beginning stages of Type 2 diabetes.
This startling discovery comes from research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. People’s lack of knowledge about their own health and disease status is compounded by the fact that diabetes is already widely prevalent in America.
In America, 6.5% of adults over the age of 20 have Type 2 diabetes. That may not sound like much, but you have to consider that another 26% of adults suffer from impaired fasting glucose (IFG) — a condition that is known as a precursor to diabetes.
The risk of developing diabetes from IFG rises steadily as one gets older. By the age of 65, diabetes is much more common. It occurs in 22% of people in this age group. So, if you don’t think that diabetes is a problem for you, consider that one-third of the people out there don’t even know they have the disease and many more may not realize that they are considered to be “at risk” for it.
Make sure you get your blood-glucose levels tested, especially after age 45. If you are overweight or have a family history of the disease, it is even more important that you get tested for this condition. If your blood sugar is in the high range, but isn’t considered diabetic, you can help protect yourself from ever developing the disease.
Exercise is an important aspect to preventing diabetes, as is making healthy dietary choices. This includes such obvious restrictions as limiting your daily sugar intake and eating foods that are lower in cholesterol. It’s also important for many prediabetics to lose weight.