Diabetes

Minority Women's Health > Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians > Health Topics > Diabetes

You can get diabetes if your body does not use insulin correctly. Insulin in your body changes the sugars in food into energy. Type 1 diabetes happens when your body destroys its own cells that make insulin. Type 2 diabetes happens when your body doesn't make enough insulin. Diabetes affects women of all ages.

People with diabetes are more likely to have problems with their skin, mouth, kidneys, heart, nerves, eyes, and feet. Diabetes is a growing problem for Asian American/Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians. It is the fifth leading cause of death in the Asian American/Pacific Islander population. There is not a lot of data on the total number of diabetes cases in Asian American/Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian populations. Some groups within these populations are at increased risk for diabetes. Native Hawaiians, Japanese, and Filipino adults living in Hawaii were about two times more likely to have been diagnosed with diabetes as compared to white residents.

Although type 1 diabetes can't be prevented, there are steps you can take to prevent and control type 2 diabetes:

See your doctor regularly. Don't forget about the dentist and eye doctor!
If you smoke, try to quit. Quitting is hard, but there are programs that can help.
Control your blood sugar and cholesterol levels, your blood pressure, and your weight.
Get moving. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day, most days of the week. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Or, walk during breaks at work.
Check your feet every day for blisters, red spots, swelling, or cuts.
Stay aware of how you feel. If you notice a problem, call your doctor right away.

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy. This type of diabetes occurs in about 1 in 20 pregnancies. During pregnancy your body makes hormones that keep insulin from doing its job. To make up for this, your body makes extra insulin. But in some women this extra insulin is not enough, so they get gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually goes away when the pregnancy is over. Still, women who have had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Publications

Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? - This booklet defines diabetes and reviews the signs and symptoms of the disease. It discusses the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes and the ways it can be prevented.
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/riskfortype2/index.htm
Asian American Health- Diabetes - This site lists several publications about diabetes and is specifically for Asian Americans.
http://asianamericanhealth.nlm.nih.gov/chronic05.html
Diabetes Frequently Asked Questions - This fact sheet provides information on diabetes including symptoms, types, risk factors, and treatment options.
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/faq/index.htm
Diabetes in Asian and Pacific Islander Americans - Diabetes mellitus poses a rapidly growing health challenge to Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. This publication provides information and statistics on the risks and complications associated with diabetes.
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/asianamerican/index.htm
Diabetes Overview - This fact sheet explains the different types of diabetes as well as the various treatment methods available. It also provides information on the impact and cost of the disease, its increasing prevalence, and research currently being conducted by government and private organizations.
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/overview/index.htm
Frequently Asked Questions - Diabetes - This fact sheet explains in plain, easy to understand language, what diabetes is, the different types of diabetes, who may be at risk, diabetes symptoms, how doctors test for diabetes, who should be tested, and how it can be treated. This publication also addresses hypoglycemia and helps clear up common confusion about its relationship to diabetes.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/diabetes.htm
Take Care of Your Heart - For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders - The NDEP's "Take Care of Your Heart" campaign encourages Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with diabetes, and their families, to take steps now to reduce their risk of heart attacks or strokes, the leading killers of people with diabetes. This web site links you to the different Asian-language versions of this campaign.
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/campaigns/TCH/TCH_materials_AsianAm.htm
Tips to Help You Stay Healthy - This booklet provides an action plan for diabetes control that includes tips on knowing, reaching, and maintaining blood glucose levels.
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/TipsFeel_Eng.pdf
Two Reasons to Prevent Diabetes: My Future and Theirs - This tip sheet provides information about Asian Americans' and Pacific Islanders' risk for diabetes and the small steps they can take to prevent the disease.
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/Tworeasons_tips_eng.pdf
Two Reasons to Prevent Diabetes: My Future and Theirs (Chinese) - This tip sheet provides information about Asian Americans' and Pacific Islanders' risk for diabetes and the small steps they can take to prevent the disease.
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/tworeasons_tips_ch.pdf
Asian American Diabetes Initiative (Copyright © Joslin Diabetes Center) - This is a bilingual (English-Chinese) site with interactive tools dedicated to improving diabetes awareness and management in Asian American populations.
http://aadi.joslin.harvard.edu/
Diabetes Risk Test (Copyright © ADA) - This tool is an interactive test that can help you determine your risk for diabetes.
http://www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp
Why Do People of Asian Descent Get Diabetes? (Copyright © Joslin Diabetes Center) - This publication attributes the higher rates of diabetes in Asian Americans to a combination of environment, excessive weight gain, and diet.
http://aadi.joslin.harvard.edu/intro/intro_why_asian.asp

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of December 2007