Take Steps Against Diabetes: What You

Can Do NOWM. Elson, MD, MME

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

I have no financial conflicts of interestI AM interested in promoting YOUR healthI have been to Spain! And the food was great!

When It Comes to Diabetes, You Have Power

• Diabetes is a serious disease.• You have the power to fight it! • You can start taking steps NOW to delay or

prevent diabetes and its complications.

Start by Educating Yourself

What Is Blood Sugar?

• During digestion, food is converted into glucose, a sugar your body uses for energy.

• The hormone insulin ushers glucose (blood sugar) into your cells for fuel.

• Diabetes affects how your body uses blood sugar to fuel your body.

What Is Diabetes?• In people with diabetes, insulin doesn’t

work properly, or their bodies don’t make enough insulin.

• When insulin doesn’t do its job effectively, cells don’t get the glucose they need for fuel.

• When glucose can’t get into the cells, it builds up in the blood and can harm the body. This is called having high blood glucose, or high blood sugar.

How Many People Have Diabetes?

• 25.8 million people in the U.S. have diabetes (8.3 percent of the population).

• This includes 1.6 million children and teens.• 7 million people have undiagnosed diabetes—

they have diabetes, but they don’t know it.

Diabetes by Type

Type 2 Is the Most Common Kind of Diabetes

You Have Power!

• You can start taking steps today to prevent or delay diabetes and its complications.

• You can make small changes that deliver big health rewards.

• You have the power to alter your health!

Risk Factors for Diabetes• Being overweight or obese• Age (45 or older) • A family history of diabetes• Excess belly fat • A diagnosis of pre-diabetes• Inactivity (exercising fewer than

three times a week)• Certain ethnic backgrounds (African

American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino)

• High blood pressure (140/90 or higher)

• Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol (35 or lower)

• High triglycerides (250 or higher)• Pregnancy• A history of gestational diabetes or

giving birth to a large baby (9 pounds or more)

• Insulin resistance• Cardiovascular disease or polycystic

ovary syndrome

Do You Have Pre-Diabetes?

• People with pre-diabetes have blood sugar levels that are higher than they should be, but not high enough to be considered diabetes.

How Many People Have Pre-Diabetes?

• 79 million American adults have pre-diabetes.– 35 percent of adults age 20 or older– 50 percent of adults age 65 or older

Pre-Diabetes Is a Warning

• Without making changes to improve their health, 15 percent to 30 percent of people with pre-diabetes will develop diabetes within five years.

Excess Weight Is a Major Risk Factor for Diabetes

• Being overweight or obese is the No. 1 risk factor for developing diabetes.

• Being overweight makes you seven times more likely to develop diabetes.

• Being obese makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes.

How Do You Weigh In?

Height Weight (women)

Weight (men)

5'0" 143 154

5'1" 146 157

5'2" 150 160

5'3" 154 162

5'4" 157 165

5'5" 161 168

5'6" 164 172

5'7" 168 175

5'8" 172 179

5'9" 175 182

5'10" 178 186

5'11" 182 190

6'0" 186 194

Does your weight raise your diabetes risk?

Check your weight on this chart. If it is at or above the amount listed next to your height, your weight may put you at risk.

Measure Your Waist

• Having excess belly fat is another diabetes risk factor.

• Anyone of any age who has excess belly fat (a waist measurement of 40 inches or more for men, or 35 inches or more for women) is at risk even if he or she is not overweight.

How’s Your Blood Sugar?

• Ask your provider if you should be tested!

Ways to Test for Diabetes

• We use three main kinds of blood testing to check for diabetes:– A1C test– Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) test– Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)

Be on the Lookout for Diabetes Symptoms

• Frequent urination• Excessive thirst• Extreme hunger• Unexplained weight loss• Sudden vision changes• Tingling or numbness in hands or

feet• Fatigue• Very dry, itchy skin• Sores that are slow to heal

• More infections than usual, especially in the skin, gums, bladder, or vagina

• Confusion or dizziness• Breath that smells like nail polish

remover• Darkening of skin around the

neck or in the armpits• An absence of menstrual periods • Unexplained nausea, vomiting, or

stomach pain

Now That You Know Your Risk

• You can start taking steps toward lowering it!

Good News About Prevention

• The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a major research study, found that people with pre-diabetes could delay or prevent diabetes without taking medication.

• Participants in the DPP who lost weight through diet and exercise cut their diabetes risk by 58 percent.

A Little Weight Loss Brings Big Rewards

• Participants in the DPP study lost just 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight through exercise and diet.

• For someone who weighs 200 pounds, that’s only 10 to 14 pounds.

How Can You Lower Your Weight?

• Healthy Diet + Exercise = Weight Loss

Start With a Healthy Diet

Choose Whole-Grain Foods Instead of… Choose…

Sugary cereals Whole-grain cereals, bran cereals, oatmeal

White rice Brown rice

White bread, bagels, rolls, tortillas, crackers

Whole-grain bread, bagels, rolls, tortillas, crackers

White pasta Whole-grain pasta

White flour Whole-grain flour

Chips, pretzels Air-popped popcorn without butter

Great Grains

Eat a Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables

• Diets that contain lots of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Pick Powerful Proteins

• Choose low-fat or lean protein sources, such as: – Lean meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish– Low-fat or nonfat dairy (milk, cheese)– Soy foods– Eggs– Nuts and seeds– Dried beans, legumes, peas, and lentils

Choose Healthy Fats

Avoid Sugary Drinks20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola = 65 grams of sugar (about 16 teaspoons)

12 ounces of Coca-Cola = 39 grams of sugar (about 10 teaspoons)

12-ounce serving of Nestea iced tea = 33 grams of sugar (about 8 teaspoons)

1.55-ounce Hershey’s bar = 24 grams of sugar (about 6 teaspoons)

Get Moving

• Becoming more active is another great way to reduce your weight, lower your diabetes risk, and boost your overall health.

How to Get Started

• Brisk walking is one of the best exercises you can do—even if you’re overweight or obese.

• Begin with a few minutes of walking each day, and build up from there.

• It’s OK to start slow!

Make It a Goal

• Your eventual goal: 30 to 60 minutes of moderate exercise five or more days per week.

• If you use a pedometer, aim for 10,000 steps a day.

• Set weekly goals, and reward yourself when you reach them!

Take Breaks from Sitting

• Get up, stretch, and walk around for a couple of minutes every hour.

What Else Can You Do?

• Talk with your provider if you’re having trouble sleeping.

• Quit smoking. • Reduce stress.

If You Have Diabetes

Take Steps to Avoid the Complications of Diabetes

What Have You Learned?

• Remember, you have the power to reduce the risk of diabetes and its complications.

• By taking the steps outlined in this presentation, you can live a healthier, happier life.

Other Resources

• Your health care provider• American Diabetes Association

(www.diabetes.org) • A registered dietitian or certified diabetes

educator (www.ncbde.org)• National Diabetes Education Program

(www.ndep.nih.gov)