World Diabetes Day
November 14 is World Diabetes Day
On November 14th patients and healthcare professionals around the world will raise awareness and observe World Diabetes Day. Because over 38 million Americans have diabetes, there is a good chance that you or someone you know is living with diabetes¹.
But what about people who don’t know about their condition? 1 in 3 Americans have prediabetes- and most of them don’t know they have it²! Since untreated diabetes can cause permanent health problems, it is important to recognize and treat this serious disease.
What can you do? We’re glad you asked! Observe World Diabetes Day and share this valuable information.
Diabetes Information
So, what is diabetes exactly? And what causes it? Let’s start with insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. It regulates blood glucose, or blood sugar, and helps the body use sugar for energy.
When the body can’t produce or effectively use insulin, this leads to high blood glucose levels, or diabetes. Diabetes has three forms: type 1, type 2, and gestational.
Type 1
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It isn’t preventable or reversible. In type 1 diabetes, the body no longer produces insulin. Although this condition is often present at birth, it can also develop over time if the body’s ability to produce insulin declines.
Type 2
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In fact, 90-95% of cases are type 2 ². This form of diabetes develops over time. In type 2 diabetes, the body can’t produce enough or effectively use insulin.
Healthy diet, exercise, and weight management can help prevent or control type 2 diabetes.
The developing stage of type 2 diabetes is called prediabetes, which is when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but are not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
Gestational
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. While this condition increases the chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, gestational diabetes often goes away on its own after delivery.
Prediabetes
Although prediabetes is a reversible condition, most cases will develop into type 2 diabetes within 5-6 years ³. Lifestyle changes such as healthy diet, exercise, and weight management can prevent prediabetes from worsening into type 2 diabetes.
8 in 10 people with prediabetes don’t know they have the condition². Getting a blood sugar test can help diagnose prediabetes and help prevent type 2 diabetes. The National Diabetes Prevention Program can help you make the necessary lifestyle changes that prevent or control diabetes. 
Symptoms of Diabetes
Symptoms of diabetes can include:- Being very thirsty or hungry
- Feeling tired
- Dry skin
- Frequent urination
- Frequent infections
- Blurry vision
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
- Sores that heal very slowly
Testing for Diabetes
Testing for diabetes is easy! In most cases, a simple blood test is all that is needed. There are several types of blood tests that can help diagnose diabetes.
- Random blood sugar test, which checks blood sugar at any time of the day
- Fasting blood sugar test, which checks blood sugar after an overnight fast (not eating)
- A1C test, which is a single blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past three months
- Glucose tolerance test, which measures blood sugar before and 2-3 times after the consumption of glucose
State of Diabetes
In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled ². Here are some more quick facts about diabetes:- Around 11% of all adults in Pennsylvania have diabetes
- 8.7 million Americans have diabetes but don’t know it
- Over 38 million Americans have diabetes
- Nearly 98 million American adults have prediabetes
- Americans with diabetes have medical expenses around 2.6 times higher than those who do not have diabetes
Be Aware of How Diabetes Affects You
Observe World Diabetes Day this November 14th and raise awareness of this common health condition. Share information about diabetes with your friends and family.
Prediabetes is a reversible condition! With lifestyle changes, diabetes can be prevented or its severity can be reduced. If you have symptoms, speak to your healthcare provider.
A simple blood test can help assess your risk, allowing you to take control of your health. And don’t forget- HNL Lab Medicine Patient Service Centers offer convenient and accessible options for completing your lab work.
References
¹ American Diabetes Association. (2024, March). The burden of diabetes in Pennsylvania. https://diabetes.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/adv_2024_state_fact_pennsylvania.pdf.
² Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Diabetes basics. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/index.html.
³ Pennsylvania Department of Health. (2024). Diabetes. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/health/diseases-conditions/chronic-disease/diabetes.html.
updated:11-24