Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Most
of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for
energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called
insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes,
your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as
well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in your blood.
Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness,
kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. Diabetes is the sixth leading
cause of death in the United States.
People who think they might have diabetes must visit a physician for diagnosis.
They might have SOME or NONE of the following symptoms:
Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Unexplained weight loss
Extreme hunger
Sudden vision changes
Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
Feeling very tired much of the time
Very dry skin
Sores that are slow to heal
More infections than usual.
Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains may accompany some of these symptoms in
the abrupt onset of insulin-dependent diabetes, now called type 1 diabetes.
What are the types of diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes, which was previously called insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes, may account for 5% to 10% of all
diagnosed cases of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, which was previously called
non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes, may
account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Gestational
diabetes is a type of diabetes that only pregnant women get. If not treated,
it can cause problems for mothers and babies. Gestational diabetes develops
in 2% to 5% of all pregnancies but usually disappears when a pregnancy is over.
Other specific types of diabetes resulting from specific genetic syndromes,
surgery, drugs, malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses may account for
1% to 2% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
What are the risk factors for diabetes?
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include older age, obesity, family history
of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance,
physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. African Americans, Hispanic/Latino
Americans, American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
are at particularly high risk for type 2 diabetes.
Risk factors are less well defined for type 1 diabetes than for type 2 diabetes,
but autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are involved in developing this type of diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs more frequently in African Americans, Hispanic/Latino
Americans, American Indians, and people with a family history of diabetes than
in other groups. Obesity is also associated with higher risk. Women who have
had gestational diabetes are at increased risk for later developing type 2 diabetes.
In some studies, nearly 40% of women with a history of gestational diabetes
developed diabetes in the future.
Other specific types of diabetes, which may account for 1% to 2% of all diagnosed
cases, result from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs, malnutrition,
infections, and other illnesses.
What is the treatment for diabetes?
Healthy eating, physical activity, and insulin injections are the basic therapies
for type 1 diabetes. The amount of insulin taken must be balanced with food
intake and daily activities. Blood glucose levels must be closely monitored
through frequent blood glucose testing.
Healthy eating, physical activity, and blood glucose testing are the basic
therapies for type 2 diabetes. In addition, many people with type 2 diabetes
require oral medication, insulin, or both to control their blood glucose levels.
People with diabetes must take responsibility for their day-to-day care, and
keep blood glucose levels from going too low or too high.
People with diabetes should see a health care provider who will monitor their
diabetes control and help them learn to manage their diabetes. In addition,
people with diabetes may see endocrinologists, who may specialize in diabetes
care; ophthalmologists for eye examinations; podiatrists for routine foot care;
and dietitians and diabetes educators who teach the skills needed for daily
diabetes management.
The
Diabetes Overview fact sheet from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse has additional information
What causes type 1 diabetes?
The causes of type 1 diabetes appear to be much different than those for type
2 diabetes, though the exact mechanisms for developing both diseases are
unknown. The appearance of type 1 diabetes is suspected to follow exposure to
an "environmental trigger," such as an unidentified virus, stimulating
an immune attack against the beta cells of the pancreas (that produce insulin)
in some genetically predisposed people.
For more information about the immune system, visit these pages from The National
Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Web site:
A number of studies have shown that regular physical activity can significantly
reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes also appears to
be associated with obesity.
Researchers are making progress in identifying the exact genetics and
"triggers" that predispose some individuals to develop type 1 diabetes, but
prevention remains elusive.
In response to the growing health burden of diabetes, the diabetes community
has three choices: prevent diabetes; cure diabetes; and improve the quality of
care of
people with diabetes to prevent devastating complications. All three approaches
are actively being pursued by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) are involved in prevention activities. The NIH is involved
in research to cure both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, especially type 1. CDC
focuses most of its programs on being sure that the proven science is put into
daily practice for people with diabetes. The basic idea is that if all the important
research and science are not applied meaningfully in the daily lives of people with
diabetes, then the research is, in essence, wasted.
Several approaches to "cure" diabetes are being pursued:
Pancreas transplantation
Islet cell transplantation (islet cells produce insulin)
Artificial pancreas development
Genetic manipulation (fat or muscle cells that don’t normally make insulin
have a human insulin gene inserted — then these "pseudo" islet cells
are transplanted into people with type 1 diabetes).
Each of these approaches still has a lot of challenges, such as preventing
immune rejection; finding an adequate number of insulin cells; keeping cells
alive; and others. But progress is being made in all areas.
What are some other sources for information on diabetes?
The NDEP is a nationwide initiative of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is an inclusive,
partnership-based program involving many diverse public and private sector partner
organizations. The goal of the program is to reduce the morbidity and mortality
of diabetes and its complications.
For more information on NDEP, call toll free 1-800-438-5383.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 1 Information Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3560
800/GET LEVEL (800/438-5383) or 301/654-3327
Internet http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
National Eye Institute (NEI) Bldg. 31, Room 6A32
31 Center Drive, MSC 2510
Bethesda, MD 20892-2510
301/496-5248 or 800/869-2020 (to order materials)
301/402-1065 (fax)
Internet http://www.nei.nih.gov
Office of Minority Health Resource Center
US Department of Health and Human Services
P.O. Box 37337, Washington, DC 20013-7337
800/444-MHRC (444-6472)
Internet http://www.omhrc.gov/
Non-Federal Government Organizations
Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided
solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement
of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and
none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual
organization Web pages found at these links.
American Association of Diabetes Educators 100 West Monroe, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603-1901
800/338-3633 for names of diabetes educators
312/424-2426 to order publications
Internet http://www.aadenet.org*
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria VA 22311
Telephone 703-549-1500
1-800-ADA-ORDER to order publications toll free
1-800-342-2383 (800-DIABETES) for diabetes information
Internet http://www.diabetes.org*
American Dietetic Association National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics
216 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606-6995
800/366-1655 Consumer Nutrition Hotline (Spanish speaker available)
800/745-0775
Internet http://www.eatright.org/*
American Heart Association National Center 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231
214/373-6300
Internet http://www.americanheart.org/*
American Optometric Association 1505 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
800/262-3947 or 703/739-9200
Internet http://www.aoanet.org/*
American Podiatric Medical Association 9312 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
301/571-9200 or 800/ASK-APMA
301/530-2752 (fax)
Internet http://www.apma.org/*
International Diabetic Athletes Association 1647-B West Bethany Home Road, Phoenix, AZ 85015
800/898-IDAA or 602/433-2113
602/433-9331 (fax)
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation The Diabetes Research Foundation
120 Wall Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10005-4001
800/JDF-CURE or 800/223-1138
212/785-9595 (fax)
Internet http://www.jdrf.org*
Medical Eye Care for the Nation's Disadvantaged Senior Citizens The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
P.O. Box 429098, San Francisco, CA 94142-9098
800/222-EYES (222-3937)
* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely
as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any
organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred.
The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization
Web pages found at this link.
Page last reviewed: July 12, 2007
Page last modified: June 27, 2006
Content Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Diabetes Translation
Diabetes & Me
