Diabetes Defined

by National Institute on Aging

If you have diabetes, your body cannot make or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps control the sugar, or glucose, in your blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel for your body.

When you have diabetes, the levels of blood glucose are too high. High blood glucose can cause symptoms such as blurred vision, frequent urination, increased thirst, unintended weight loss, slow healing sores, and feelings of hunger and tiredness. However, some people with diabetes do not have symptoms.

Diabetes is a serious disease. Over time, diabetes that is not well controlled causes serious damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.

Chart showing prevalence of diabetes. About 18.2 million Americans, or 6.2 percent of the population, have diabetes. Thirteen million people have diagnosed diabetes, while an estimated 5.2 million people are undiagnosed. More than 8 million people 60 years or older have diabetes. This figure represents 18.3 percent of that age group.

About 5 to 10 percent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in children, teenagers, or adults under age 30. In people with type 1 diabetes, the body can no longer produce insulin.

About 90 percent of people in the United States with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. It is most common in adults over age 40, and the risk of getting type 2 diabetes increases with age. With this form of diabetes, the body does not always produce enough insulin or does not use insulin efficiently. Being overweight and inactive increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is also more common in people with a family history of diabetes and in African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and Asian and Pacific Islanders.

Some women develop gestational diabetes during the late stages of pregnancy. Although this form of diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, a woman who has had it is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

People with diabetes must take responsibility for their day-to-day care. Much of the daily care involves keeping blood glucose levels from going too high or too low. About two-thirds of people with diabetes die of heart disease, so it is also important to control blood pressure and cholesterol. This may require taking medications prescribed by a doctor.

When blood glucose levels drop too low, a condition known as hypoglycemia, a person can become nervous, shaky, and confused. Judgment can be impaired. If blood glucose falls too low, a person can faint.

A person can also become ill if blood glucose levels rise too high, a condition known as hyperglycemia. Diabetics may go into a coma if their blood sugar levels rise too high.

Strict control of blood glucose as well as blood pressure and cholesterol is the best defense against the serious complications of diabetes. People who take steps to control their diabetes can make a big difference in their health. If you have diabetes, stick to a diet plan, monitor your blood sugar, exercise regularly, take prescribed medication, and make healthy lifestyle choices.

Quiz

1. If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar, is too high.

TRUE is the correct answer. Having diabetes means that your blood glucose, or blood sugar, is too high. Your blood always has some glucose in it because your body needs glucose for energy to keep you going. But too much glucose in the blood is not good for your health. In people with diabetes, glucose can build up in the blood, overflow into the urine, and pass out of the body. When this happens the body loses its main source of fuel and energy.

2. Type 1 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes among older adults.

FALSE is the correct answer. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and is also the most common type in adults over 40. Type 2 diabetes usually begins with a condition called insulin resistance in which the body does not use insulin properly. In time, the body cannot produce enough insulin. Type 1 diabetes is more common among children, teenagers, and young adults. In this form of diabetes, the body stops producing insulin altogether.

3. More than 8 million people 60 years or older have diabetes.

TRUE is the correct answer. The risk of diabetes increases with age and more than 8 million people over 60 have the disease. Many older people have been diagnosed with diabetes, but many others have the disease and are not aware of it.

4. The best defense against the complications of diabetes is controlling blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

TRUE is the correct answer. Strict control of blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol is the best defense against the serious complications of diabetes. People who take steps to control their diabetes can make a big difference in their health. If you have diabetes, stick to a diet plan, monitor your blood sugar, exercise regularly, take prescribed medication, and make healthy lifestyle choices.

About the Author

www.nia.nih.gov
NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.