Diabetes is a Growing Problem in the U.S.

Posted by Signature Medical Group on Thursday, July 20, 2017 in General Health News

A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that nearly half of Americans have diabetes or prediabetes, which puts them at high risk for the condition. Alarmingly, many haven't been diagnosed and don't even realize their predicament, the Los Angeles Times reports.

People with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood (high blood glucose). If their diabetes isn't controlled, they can develop heart disease, nerve damage, kidney problems, eye damage and other serious health conditions.

At Signature Medical Group, we care about this growing problem. Our primary care doctors and endocrinologists work closely with you to try to control and prevent the onset of diabetes.

The new study included two kinds of diabetes, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Type 1 diabetes (formerly known as juvenile diabetes) occurs when the immune system prevents the body from making insulin, and type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset diabetes) occurs when the body can't make enough insulin or can't use it well.

About 95 percent of all diabetes cases are type 2 diabetes. A third type is gestational diabetes, which affects some women while they are pregnant but usually resolves itself after they give birth.

Some findings from the study, according to the LA Times:

• 3 million people were diagnosed with diabetes in 2015.
• 24 percent of Americans (7.2 million) have diabetes and don't even know it.
• Diabetes was listed as a cause of death on 252,806 death certificates in 2015, including 79,535 that identified diabetes as the primary cause of death.
• 1 million Americans (34 percent) have prediabetes, a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar that puts people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• 132,000 children under 18 have diabetes.
• 61 percent of adults who have diabetes are obese, according to their body mass index. An additional 26 percent are overweight.
• 74 percent of adults who have diabetes have high blood pressure.

If you have questions concerning diabetes, Signature Medical Group is here for you. Make an appointment today and let our specialists keep you on the road to good health.