American Diabetes Month is held during the month of November. It is held to bring awareness to a disease that affects numerous people in the United States. The goal is to help bring an end to diabetes and the difficulties that those who have the condition suffer. There are almost 30 million adults and children in the country who have diabetes. Almost 90 million people in the country are at risk to develop the disease later in life. This is called Type 2 diabetes. Taking into consideration the medication and education that is used for diabetes, close to $245 billion is spent each year in relation to the condition.
One of the things that is taking place during American Diabetes Month is America Gets Cooking. This is something that the American Diabetes Association wants people to become aware of so that they can cook healthy meals and snacks. Tips are posted each week online that include how to cook healthy, ways to exercise and how to manage the disease.
There has been an increase in diabetes because of the number of people who are overweight and the number of people who can’t afford to take care of their bodies by eating healthy foods. Over the next 50 years, it is feared that the number of people who die from diabetes will increase more than 50 percent. This doesn’t affect only the lower income classes. The upper income classes are expected to see a higher percentage in the number of deaths compared to recent years.
There are two types of diabetes. Type 1, or the kind that is often seen in younger children and teenagers, is when the body doesn’t produce insulin or doesn’t produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes is when the body doesn’t use the insulin that is produced in an effective manner. This is the type seen in most adults. Over 90 percent of the people who have diabetes have Type 2, and there has been an increase in this type in children that was once hardly seen.
American Diabetes Month hopes to make people aware of the various types, how to treat the condition without medication and how to help limit the effects of the disease on the body through exercise and proper care.