Diabetes

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Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose, the main type of sugar in the blood. Glucose comes from the foods people eat and is the major source of energy needed to fuel the body’s functions. It is a metabolic disease requiring medical diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes.

The three major categories of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to serious complications from high glucose levels, including blindness, kidney disease, and nerve damage, as well as vascular disease that can lead to amputations, heart disease, and stroke. Gestational diabetes is temporary, only lasting through pregnancy, however gestational diabetes places a woman at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes at some later time in her life.

Pre-diabetes describes an increasingly common condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but are not high enough to be considered diabetes. Research supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has shown that most people with this condition go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years unless they make changes in their diet and level of physical activity, which can help them reduce their risks and avoid the debilitating disease (http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/faq/prediabetes.htm).

As of 2008, the CDC estimates that about 8% of the U.S. population or 23.6 million people have diabetes, an increase of three million people from just two years ago. About 25% with diabetes do not know they have it. Another 57 million people have pre-diabetes (http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/r080624.htm). In Idaho, approximately 86,000 adults have diabetes; this amounts to 10% of the population up from 3% a decade ago. (http://www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/site/3396/default.aspx), (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5743a2.htm?s_cid=mm5743a2_e)

Risk Factors for Diabetes

Older that 45 years
Overweight or obese
Lack of physical activity
History of gestational diabetes, or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 lbs at birth
Family history of diabetes
Body shape (pear vs. apple)
Over nutrition, especially fats and processed foods
Excess calories

Who is Affected? – as of June 24, 2008

23.6 million people, or 8% of the population nationally
86,000 adults in Idaho
17.9 million are undiagnosed
57 million people have pre-diabetes
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in Idaho and nationally http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2007.pdf

Diabetes was the 6th leading cause of death in Idaho and Nationally.

Medicare Impact

11.6% of adult 65 years and older have diabetes.

Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Self-Management Training and Medical Nutrition Therapy (pdf) For healthcare professionals who care for and treat Medicare patients with diabetes. This piece also includes contact information for American Diabetes Association Diabetes Education Programs in Idaho and a Diabetes Services Order Form that you can print out and fill in for your patients.

Medicare Covers Diabetes and Nutrition Education (pdf) Find out more about what Medicare covers for Medicare patients with diabetes. This piece also includes contact information for American Diabetes Association Diabetes Education Programs in Idaho.

Idaho Diabetes Prevention and Control Program in Idaho (IDPCP)

The Idaho Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, IDPCP, strives to promote clinical standards of care, reaching disparate population, promote wellness linkages, and reduce the risk of diabetes. This is done through four objectives: