Diabetes Basics
What is Diabetes
Diabetes is a long-lasting disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar that then goes to your bloodstream. Then your body produces insulin that acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body's cells. When sugar cannot enter cells, this means:
1. Too much glucose (blood sugar) collects in the blood
2. The body's cells cannot use it for energy
If diabetes is not managed properly, it can lead to health complications including heart attack, stroke, vision loss, kidney disease and limb amputations or even death.
In most cases, diabetes can be prevented. Although diabetes has no cure, you can take steps to manage it and stay healthy.
Types of Diabetes
There are four different types of diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes affects how your body turns food into energy. Insulin is a hormone that acts like a key to let blood sugar into your body’s cells to use as energy. Type 1 Diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that stops your body from making insulin. When there is not enough insulin, too much sugar stays in your blood. Over time, too much sugar in your blood can cause other serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Insulin is necessary for management of Type 1 Diabetes. For those who need it, lack of access to insulin can very quickly result in severe complications and even death.
Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a potentially reversible condition that is a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
In 2020, 10.2% of Kansas adults aged 18 years and older have ever been diagnosed with prediabetes or borderline diabetes.
Prediabetes can be reversed. Find out if you are at risk and take control now.
Type 2 Diabetes
With Type 2 Diabetes, your body does not use insulin well and cannot keep blood sugar at normal levels. About 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes have Type 2.
- It develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults, but an increasing number is seen in children and adolescents.
- It is on the rise due to increased obesity.
- It can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and being physically active.
- Some people may also need diabetes medications or insulin therapy.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can lead to serious health complications for mother and baby, including:
- Pre-eclampsia
- Premature birth
- Cesarean delivery
- Higher risk of birth injury
In 2019, approximately, 10.3 percent of live births in Kansas were to women who experienced gestational diabetes during pregnancy, affecting nearly 3,400 pregnancies that resulted in live births.
Gestational diabetes puts both mother and baby at a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes later in life.
Risk Factors
One in three American adults has prediabetes. If you have a family history of diabetes, are overweight, are not physically active on a regular basis, are over age 45 or are of African American or Hispanic descent, you have a greater chance of developing prediabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
- Family history: Having an immediate family member with Type 1 Diabetes (parent, brother, or sister).
- Age: Type 1 Diabetes is more likely to develop when you’re a child, teen, or young adult, but can develop at any age.
Currently, no one knows how to prevent Type 1 Diabetes, but it can be managed by following your doctor’s recommendations for living a healthy lifestyle, managing your blood sugar, getting regular health checkups, and getting diabetes self-management education and support.
Prediabetes
- Being overweight
- Being 45 years or older
- Having an immediate family member (parent, brother, or sister) with Type 2 Diabetes
- Being physically active less than 3 times a week
- Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighs more than 9 pounds
- Are of African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native descent (some of Pacific Islander and Asian American descent are also at higher risk)
You can prevent or delay prediabetes with healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and being physically active. The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP] can help you make lasting lifestyle changes.
Type 2 Diabetes
- Having prediabetes
- Being overweight
- Being 45 years or older
- Having an immediate family member (parent, brother, sister) with Type 2 Diabetes
- Being physically active less than 3 times a week
- Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighs more than 9 pounds
- Are of African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native descent (some of Pacific Islander and Asian American descent are also at higher risk)
You can prevent or delay Type 2 Diabetes with healthy lifestyle changes such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and being physically active.
Gestational Diabetes
- Had gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy
- Have given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Being overweight
- Being more than 25 years old
- Have a family history of type 2 diabetes
- Have polycystic ovary syndrome
- Are of African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander descent
Having gestational diabetes increases your risk for Type 2 Diabetes later in life. Your baby is also more likely to be obese as a child or teen and is more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes later in life.
You may be able to prevent gestational diabetes by making healthy lifestyle changes before you get pregnant. These can include losing weight if you’re overweight or obese, eating healthy food, and being physically active.