Diabetes is at epidemic proportions across the globe and most people know someone living with this condition. Did you know these diabetes facts?
10 diabetes facts:
- About one third of all people with diabetes do not know they have the disease.
- Type 2 diabetes often does not have any symptoms.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.
- Only about five percent of all people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.
- People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease than someone without diabetes.
- If you are at risk, type 2 diabetes can be prevented with moderate weight loss (10–15 pounds) and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) each day.
- Good control of diabetes significantly reduces the risk of developing complications and prevents complications from getting worse.
- Bariatric surgery can reduce the symptoms of diabetes in obese people.
- Diabetes costs $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical expenses.
- A meal plan for a person with diabetes isn’t very different than that which is recommended for people without diabetes.