|
Are You Amongst The Diabetics? |
|
|
|
The diabetes sufferers are increasing in
number with each passing day. Practically, everybody is at risk and
borderline of acquiring this disease. Are you one of them?
Diabetes
is not a contagious disease but there are certain factors that can
increase the risk of incurring it. You are at higher risk of developing
this condition if:
1) you are overweight.
2) you are sedentary.
3) you are already suffering from gestational diabetes.
4) you are of African-American, Latino, Asian-American, or Native
American descent.
5) you have a low, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level (less
than 35).
6) you are more than 45 years old
7) you have a family history of type 2 diabetes
8) you have a high triglyceride level (250 or above)
9) you have high blood pressure (140/90 mm/Hg or higher)
Type 1 diabetes occurs equally among males and females
but it is more common in whites than in non-whites. According to the
World Health Organization’s Multinational Project for Childhood
Diabetes, type 1 diabetes is rare in most African, American Indian, and
Asian populations. Besides them, some northern European countries along
with Sweden and Finland are found to have high rates of type 1 diabetes.
There is no known reason for these differences. Type 1 diabetes occurs
most often in children but it can occur at any age.
Type 2
diabetes develops more often in older people, especially in people who
are overweight. It also occurs in African Americans, American Indians,
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander Americans. On an average, it
has been found that non-Hispanic African Americans are 1.8 times as
likely to be suffering from diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of the
similar age.
As for Mexican Americans, they are 1.7 times as
likely to be inflicted with diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of the same
age. Also, American Indians have one of the highest rates of diabetes in
the world.
Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy, which
is a temporary condition. It goes away after the delivery. It affects
two to four per cent of all pregnancies and it increases the risk of
developing diabetes for both mother and child. In most cases, with the
help of proper diet and exercise, gestational diabetes can be managed.
|
