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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, November 20, 2009
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, November 20, 2009
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Did you know that even if no one in your family has ever had diabetes, you could be at risk? Although having a family history of diabetes certainly is a risk factor, it's not the only one. And many people have made the unhappy discovery that they are the first in their family to be diagnosed.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reported that 23.6 million people, or 7.8% of the population had diabetes during 2007. Nearly 5.7 million Americans did not know that they even had diabetes. ADA says not enough people are asking if they, personally, are at risk and it's something to take seriously. Diabetes can damage your eyesight, heart, kidneys, nervous system, and can eventually lead to death.
In a recent ADA survey of 600 men and women, half acknowledged that they were overweight or obese. Of those respondents, nearly 60% did not believe they were at personal risk for getting the disease, even though most knew that being overweight or obese was a leading risk factor.
In addition, nearly three out of four respondents said they felt confident in being able to identify portion sizes. But when questioned further, fewer than one in four could identify the correct portion sizes for many types of foods. Dietitians believe oversized -- or supersized -- food portions are significant reasons why 66% of Americans are currently overweight or obese.
Also, respondents mistakenly believed that people who are overweight by 60 pounds had to lose at least 60 pounds to positively affect their health. In reality, people who are overweight or obese need to lose only 5-7% of their body weight -- 10-15 pounds for the person who weighs 200 pounds and is 60 pounds overweight in this example -- to achieve a health benefit.
Factors that put you at higher risk -- but which aren't controllable -- include having an immediate relative who has already been diagnosed with diabetes; being over 40 (although more and more children are getting diagnosed with type 2 diabetes); having gestational diabetes during pregnancy or delivering a baby over 9 pounds; or being African American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian American.
Your risk is even higher if you
These risk factors are controllable. To decrease your risk for diabetes, lose weight if you are overweight, increase your amount of daily physical activity, and eat more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Find Out Your Diabetes Risk.
Talk with your doctor if you're concerned.
This article originally appeared in Chow Line (10/05/03), a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and was adapted for use on NetWellness with permission, 2009.
Last Reviewed: Apr 12, 2009
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Julie Kennel Shertzer, PhD, RD, LD Program Specialist OSU Extension Department of Human Nutrition College of Education and Human Ecology The Ohio State University |
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Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) 
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