By Marcos Otero, Gulf Coast Immediate Care Center – Fort Walton Beach
The most common form of diabetes is type two. Hispanics or Latinos are at higher risk of developing and dying from this disease and are twice as likely as other people to suffer from complications of diabetes, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, amputations, and nerve damage.
The CDC Reports: One in three adults develop pre-diabetes. Ninety percent (90%) do not even know they have it. Almost 30 million in the United States have diabetes, and nearly one third are unaware of it.
Risk Factors Include:
- Older age—The risk of developing type 2-diabetes increases with age. About 12.3 percent of all adults age 20 or older have diabetes. And 26 percent of adults 65 years or older have diabetes: one in every four.
- Excess weight—Particularly dangerous around the waist. Weight loss and increased physical activity reduces the chance of pre-diabetes becoming type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. For people 60 years or older, the reduction is 71 percent. For overweight people, losing five to seven percent of body weight through exercise and healthy eating can prevent the onset of type 2-diabetes.
- Family history
- Physical inactivity
- Poor diet
- Limited access to adequate health care: More than 8 of every 10 patients occurred in low-and middle-income countries.
Complications and Effects
Complications are common and can be severe. Side effects of type 2 diabetes can include: hypertension, heart disease, or stroke; blindness, and other eye problems; kidney disease; nervous system complications; amputations and other foot problems; dental disease; pregnancy complications; mental health problems (such as depression); and skin issues.
Get regular checks
Have your blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels checked. See a provider or go to health fairs to be tested.
