Why It Is Important to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Upon first receiving a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, most people leave their provider’s office determined to reclaim their health yet many are often uncertain of ways to tackle the matter. The first step to overcome this uncertainty is to understand what pre-diabetes is and what it takes to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a whopping number of Americans have diabetes, and many do not know they have it: “Over 88 million American adults have prediabetes – that’s 1 in 3 adults! Of those 88 million, more than 8 in 10 of them don’t even know they have.” (CDC data, 2021)
The risk of pre-diabetes is higher for individuals who,
Are overweight.
Are 45 years of age or older.
Have a parent or sibling who has type 2 diabetes.
Are physically active fewer than 3 times per week.
Gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds.
Had diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes).
If not addressed, pre-diabetes can lead to diabetes which, according to the CDC is “currently the seventh leading cause of death in the United States—and studies show that deaths related to diabetes may be under-reported! Today, 1 in 10 U.S. adults has diabetes, and if trends continue, 1 in 5 will have it by 2025.” (CDC data, 2021)
Fortunately, there are several efforts in place to help individuals prevent and delay type 2 diabetes. One of them is the Prevent T2 program. The Prevent T2 program is part of the CDC’s national diabetes prevention program. It focuses on teaching individuals, long-term sustainable lifestyle change. It is based on proven research where “program participants who lost 5-7% of their body weight and added 150 minutes of exercise per week cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58%” (CDC data)
This program teaches healthy eating and meal planning, exercise, and stress management as ways of life. Participants meet in a group setting for a year and form a strong network and community of support through weekly meetings for the first six months and once a week for the last six months.
To learn more about Pre-diabetes and the Prevent T2 program visit,
https://www.jamahwellness.com/preventtype2diabetes
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/why-participate.html
More data from the CDC:
Following are the percentage of people in the United States with diagnosed diabetes from 2010 to 2012 among people aged 20 or older, by race and ethnicity:
American Indian/Alaska Natives – 15.9%
Non-Hispanic blacks – 13.2%
Hispanics – 12.8%
Asian Americans – 9.0%
Non-Hispanic whites – 7.6%
*If you are at risk, talk to a health care professional about getting a blood sugar test.