Do you or someone you know have diabetes? Chances are you do, because 24 million Americans are affected by the disease. That's nearly 8% of the population.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and Tuesday, the Quincy Medical Group is holding an awareness event to help spread the word about the disease.
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. According to the American Diabetes Association Only 5% of people with diabetes have this form of the disease.
In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. The ADA says this form of diabetes is the most common form. Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and many more are unaware they are at high risk.
The ADA recommends anyone over the age of 45 be tested for the disease. Especially if you are considered at risk...meaning if you have a family history of if you are overweight.
Registered Dietician Ashlyn Myers at Quincy Medical Group explains some of the ways you can decrease your risk of getting diabetes.
"Weightloss would be very effective for a prevention method so you would lower your risk factor for getting diabetes. So, healthy diet, healthy nutrition, being active...they can all contribute to effectively decreasing your risk for getting diabetes," said Myers.
Myers also says Type Two diabetes is more prevalent right now because it relates to the obesity epidemic we are experiencing here in the US.
Myers says one thing parents can do to lower the risk in their kids is to set a good example.
"If we are sitting down together as a family eating our meals and they see mom and dad or grandma and grandpa eating fruits and vegetables then they're going to more likely want to eat fruits and vegetables or select fruits and vegetables when given the choice to," said Myers.