About Diabetes

• What is diabetes?
• What is pre-diabetes?
• What causes diabetes?
• How can I lower my risk?

Diabetes can be confusing. There are different kinds, and they seem to come from opposite problems. Is it too much sugar or too little? What does insulin do? Can you have too much or too little insulin? Let's make it clear and learn more about diabetes.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition that affects how your body uses sugar from the food you eat. Your body uses a hormone called insulin to move sugar into your cells for energy. If you have diabetes, your body may:

• Not make insulin (type 1), or
• Not make enough insulin, or not use it well (type 2)

This makes sugar stay in your blood, which causes high blood sugar.

What is pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. It can raise your risk for:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart problems
• Strokes

The good news: You can take steps now to lower your risk.

What causes diabetes?

No one knows exactly why diabetes happens. But some things can make it more likely. You cannot catch diabetes from someone else. Type 1 diabetes often starts in children but can happen at any age. Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults.You may be more likely to get diabetes if:

• Other people in your family have diabetes
• You are overweight
• You are not active
• You are over 45
• You are African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native American or Pacific Islander
• You have high blood pressure
• You have high cholesterol
• You had diabetes during pregnancy
• You had a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds

How can I lower my risk?

There are many simple steps you can take.

• Lose a little weight. Even small changes help.
• Move your body. Walking a few hours a week can lower your risk.
• Eat healthier foods.
  • Choose whole grains, fish and chicken.
  • Eat fewer processed foods and less red meat.
• Limit sugary drinks. Drink water, tea or coffee instead of soda.
• Lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.
  • Healthy eating, being active, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol all help.

If you already have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, there are many ways to take care of your health so you can still live well.