Diabetes

Diabetes… Know the Enemy.

This month’s MedFN newsletter is dedicated to supporting the American Diabetes Association’s powerful efforts to build awareness of the growing threat and catastrophic impact Diabetes is inflicting across the country.

While Diabetes has been a known disease for decades, there still remains a number of major misunderstandings about Diabetes that we encourage everyone to read.

The following information is taken from the official web site of the American Diabetes Association ( www.diabetes.org )


American Diabetes Alert Day

The 21st annual American Diabetes Alert Day is Tuesday, March 24, 2009.

The American Diabetes Alert Day is a one-day, “wake-up” call to inform the American public about the seriousness of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association encourages people to take the Diabetes Risk Test and find out if they, or their loved ones, are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Observed on the fourth Tuesday of every March, Why is Diabetes Alert Day important?

* 23.6 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes
* Nearly one-quarter of those do not know they have diabetes
* One in five Americans is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes


Early Diagnosis Can Make the Biggest Difference

For many, diagnosis may come seven to ten years after the onset of the disease. Therefore, early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, stroke, amputation and death.


Risk Factors

Type 2 Diabetes is a major risk for people with the following characteristics:

* Overweight
* An under-active, sedentary lifestyle
* Over the age of 45
* African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and people who have a family history of the disease are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.

Take the Test!

The Diabetes Risk Test shows users whether they are at low, moderate, or high risk for diabetes. If they are at high risk, they are encouraged to schedule an appointment with their healthcare provider.

On Diabetes Alert Day, the American Diabetes Association will "Sound the Alert" about the dangers of diabetes. To help people better recognize their own risk for type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association encourages the public to take the Diabetes Risk Test which requires users to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for diabetes.