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Posts Tagged ‘prediabetes’

How sweet is your holiday season?

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , on December 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

People of various ages baking

The holiday season is referred to as “the most wonderful time of the year” in a popular holiday song. While it can be a time of joy, gathering, cheer, and giving, it is also a time when many of us eat more, especially sweets. These treats may partially explain why we enjoy this time of year so much. We not only enjoy eating them, but making tasty treats with friends or family likely brings happiness and fond memories. While having sweet treats every now and then can be part of an overall balanced diet, eating too many sweets or eating them too often can derail a healthy eating plan and lifestyle.

A couple months ago I had my yearly health screening for our insurance. For the past few years my hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) has been climbing. This year it was 5.9 which puts me in the prediabetes category. Now, you might wonder, how can someone whose job it is to help others lead a healthy lifestyle have numbers that are high? Well, many factors can lead to elevated glucose (blood sugar) levels which cause HbA1C to be elevated. Some of these include:

  • Family history
  • Lifestyle factors including obesity/overweight and lack of physical activity
  • Insulin resistance
  • Gene mutations
  • Hormonal diseases
  • Damage to or removal of the pancreas
  • Certain medicines

My father has and most of my uncles had type II diabetes, as well as a few other family members. Additionally, I have not been nearly as active the past couple years as I have been previously, especially when it comes to resistance exercises. Nor am I getting any younger. In addition, while it’s not necessarily a risk factor, stress can impact the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, and I have definitely had more stress the past year or so. With my youngest child graduating and heading off to college and now my husband and I building a new house, my stress level has been higher than usual. My daughter has adjusted well and is doing fantastic, despite a hard course load, so that has helped me to adjust better to the empty house. I have also been trying to exercise more, though I still need to get back to doing resistance exercises.

Dog licking his snout with dog bisquits on table in front of him

In addition to striving to be more active again, I have been watching the amount of carbohydrates, especially added sugar, in my diet. As I have reduced the amount of carbs, especially processed ones, I notice I don’t crave them as often and smaller servings satisfy. I do not have any symptoms of diabetes or prediabetes, and I am encouraged and motivated to be more proactive to keep it that way.

As we celebrate the holiday season, focusing on gratitude now and all throughout the year may help reduce how much we eat. I do intend to have some of the tasty treats that help make this time of year special, and I will plan my eating based on how I can indulge in treats while still keeping my ultimate goal of a healthy lifestyle a priority.

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 30). All about your A1C. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/managing-blood-sugar/a1c.html

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Diabetes Diet, eating, & physical activity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Symptoms & causes of diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/symptoms-causes

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Your game plan to prevent type 2 diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-type-2-diabetes/game-plan

Written by Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Perry County

Reviewed by Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Franklin County

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November is National Diabetes Awareness Month

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , on November 8, 2018| Leave a Comment »

A staggering 30.3 million people in the United States have diabetes, millions of which are undiagnosed. Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar (glucose) levels are higher than recommended for good health.  Glucose is a type of sugar found in the foods we eat and is an important source of energy for the body.  Sources of glucose in the diet include: breads, cereals, rice, noodles, fruits, starchy vegetables, dried beans (examples navy and pinto), and milk.  Insulin allows the body to use glucose for energy. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes.  People with type 2 diabetes, the majority of who are adults, do not have adequate amounts of insulin or the insulin they do have does not work as effectively. This results in elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels and diabetes.

The impact diabetes has on our health and wallet is eye-opening.  Diabetes contributes to cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, kidney disease and blindness.  The estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2017 was in the hundreds of billions of dollars!

In addition to diabetes, prediabetes has become a major health concern in the United States.  Over 86 million Americans have prediabetes, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but are not high enough to be classified as diabetes.  Prediabetes increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.  Because prediabetes is often without symptoms, most people are unaware they have it.  Testing for prediabetes and diabetes identifies those with the disease and allows healthcare professionals to manage the disease sooner. Lifestyle changes, which include weight loss, may help to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.  If diagnosed with diabetes, early treatment can help prevent long-term complications of the disease.

picture of finger stick blood sugar test

Symptoms of diabetes include the following: increased urination, increased thirst, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, and sores that do not heal.  Anyone who has these symptoms should be tested for diabetes.  People without symptoms who are overweight or obese and have one or more of the additional risk factors, should be screened for prediabetes and diabetes.  These risk factors include: parent or sibling with diabetes, African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander ethnicity, history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, low HDL (less than 35mg/dl), elevated triglycerides (greater than 250 mg/dl), polycystic ovary syndrome, and physical inactivity.  Other forms of diabetes include type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually is found in children and young adults. Often these individuals have diabetes symptoms and significantly high levels of glucose in their blood when they are diagnosed.  Gestational diabetes, is diabetes newly diagnosed in women between their 24-28th week of pregnancy.

Testing for diabetes is done through blood tests in a variety of ways.  These blood tests include: fasting plasma glucose, oral glucose tolerance test, random plasma glucose and a hemoglobin A1C test.  Below find a description of the main types of tests used to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes:

Fasting plasma glucose test– Blood glucose level is measured after not eating or drinking anything except small amounts of water for at least 8 hours.

Oral glucose tolerance test– Blood glucose level is measured every hour for 2 to 3 hours after drinking a glucose-containing beverage. First, you must have fasted (nothing to eat or drink except water) for 8 hours before drinking the glucose-containing beverage.

Random plasma glucose test– Blood glucose is measured at any time with no consideration to whether you have eaten or not. **Cannot be used to diagnose prediabetes.

Hemoglobin A1c test– This blood test gives you an average blood glucose level over the last 2-3 months.  This test is not accurate if you have anemia.

In order to confirm the diagnosis of diabetes it is normally verified with a second test on a different day.  A fasting blood glucose of 126 mg/dl or above on two different occasions, confirms diabetes.  A random plasma blood glucose of 200 or greater on more than one occasion is considered a positive test result for diabetes.  A hemoglobin A1C result of 6.5 % or above on more than one occasion is also symptomatic of diabetes.  Positive oral glucose tolerance test results differ between pregnant and non-pregnant populations. The main differences include the amount of glucose-containing beverage consumed, and the frequency of blood glucose measurements.  Generally, in non-pregnant women, a blood glucose value over 200mg/dl two hours after drinking a glucose-containing beverage (containing 75 grams of glucose) is indicative of diabetes.  In the pregnant population more glucose is given and blood glucose levels are measured multiple times.

Prediabetes is also diagnosed with blood testing.  Fasting plasma glucose levels between 100-125 mg/dl indicate the presence of prediabetes.  An oral glucose tolerance test between 140-199 mg/dl two hours after drinking a glucose-containing beverage also indicates prediabetes.  More recently hemoglobin A1C has been used to diagnose prediabetes.  A hemoglobin A1C result of between 5.7% and 6.4 % is consistent with prediabetes.

Please find below two links that can help determine if you are at risk for diabetes or prediabetes.

Diabetes Risk Test:  http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/

Prediabetes Risk Test: https://doihaveprediabetes.org/prediabetes-risk-test.html

WITTEN BY: Joyce Riley, MS, RD, LD, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Union County

REVIEWED BY: Daniel Remley, Associate Professor, Field Specialist, Food and Nutrition and Wellness, OSU Extension

 

SOURCES:

American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care 2018; 41 (Supplement 1): S13-S27.  https://doiorg10/10.2337/dc 18-S002

American Diabetes Association (2018) Diabetes Risk Test.  http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/

American Diabetes Association (2017) Prediabetes Risk Test. https://doihaveprediabetes.org/prediabetes-risk-test.html

Mayo Clinic (2018) Diabetes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444

MedlinePlus National Institutes of Health (2018) Diabetes. https://medlineplus.gov/diabetes.html

National Diabetes Education Program (2018) Guiding Principles for the Care of People with or at Risk for Diabetes.  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/communication-programs/ndep/health-professionals/guiding-principles-care-people-risk-diabetes

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (2016) Diabetes Tests & Diagnosis.   https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes

WebMD (2016) Diagnosis of Diabetes.  https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/diagnosis-diabetes#1

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Alert Day: 3-22-16

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , on March 21, 2016| Leave a Comment »

alert day 1

Did you know that tomorrow is American Diabetes Association Alert Day?

On March 22, I encourage you to take a quick (and anonymous) one-minute test to find out if you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Plus, I hope you will share the test with everyone you care about, including family members, friends, and colleagues.

Diabetes is a serious disease. Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States live with it. More than a quarter of them—8 million—don’t even know they have it and aren’t getting the medical care they need.

It’s estimated that another 86 million people have prediabetes, which puts them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which a patient has elevated levels of blood glucose but does not yet meet the criteria for Type 2 diabetes.  However, patients with prediabetes are still at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  This condition is listed as a risk factor for mortality and has been labeled by some as “America’s largest healthcare epidemic”.  Through lifestyle changes of improved diet and exercise, prediabetes patients can significantly decrease their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes in Ohio

According to 2013 data from the Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), it is estimated that 10.4 percent (921,012) of Ohio adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. In addition, it is estimated that another 7.2 percent (378,153) of Ohio adults have been diagnosed with prediabetes, increasing their risk of progressing to Type 2 diabetes later in life. (Source: 2013 Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.)

Your family health history is an important risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes.  Most people who have Type 2 have a close family member with the disease.

Knowing your family health history is important because it gives you and your health care team information about your risk for type 2 diabetes.

alert day 2

Please make sure to mark your calendar for American Diabetes Association Alert Day on March 22 and take the type 2 Diabetes Risk Test.  It will only take a minute!!!

 

Sources:

American Diabetes Association, http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/alert-day/?loc=atrisk-slabnav and http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/?loc=alertday

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/community-outreach-health-fairs/planning-health-fair/Documents/Pre_Diabetes_EN_SP_508.pdf

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-communication-programs/ndep/am-i-at-risk/family-history/four-questions/Pages/four-questions.aspx

Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2013)

Ohio Department of Health,

http://www.healthy.ohio.gov/diabetes/odpcp.aspx

Ohio Diabetes Prevention and Control Program,  http://www.healthy.ohio.gov/~/media/HealthyOhio/ASSETS/Files/diabetes/FactSheet_2012_Final.pdf

 

Writer: Tammy Jones, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Pike County, jones.5640@osu.edu

Reviewer: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County, carter.413@osu.edu

 

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