These pages give you the basics about diabetes ..what it is, the signs and symptoms, causes and risk factors, the myths and a starting point about how diabetes is treated. Each section links to further information. Diabetes is a complex disease, which can affect the entire body. Understanding diabetes is important even if you don't have it. You most likely know someone who has diabetes; maybe a family member or a friend. This is because diabetes has reached epidemic proportions globally. There are 23.5 million people older than 20 yrs are currently diagnosed with diabetes in the United States. Community awareness of the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes is still surprisingly limited. As a community we need to foster a culture of shared understanding of what diabetes is and be part of the solution that turns the diabetes epidemic around. Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body and comes from carbohydrate foods we eat. Carbohydrate foods include bread, pasta, rice, cereals, fruits, starchy vegetables and milk and yoghurt. The body breaks carbohydrates down to glucose which then enters the blood stream. For glucose to enter the cells and be used for energy, a hormone called insulin must be available. Diabetes occurs when the body does not make insulin or when the insulin that is made is not working properly. This leads to increased blood glucose levels and diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Immediately after pregnancy, 5% to 10% of women with gestational diabetes are found to have diabetes, usually, type 2. Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. There are 57 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 23.6 million with diabetes. Although diabetes occurs most often in older adults, it is one of the most common chronic disorders in children in the United States. About 123,000 children and teenagers age 19 and younger have diabetes. The symptoms of type 1 diabetes are often sudden and severe.
These symptoms include:
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes may be the same as those listed above. Most often, there are no symptoms or a very gradual development of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes.
Other symptoms include: