Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose/sugar levels are too high. There are classically two types of Diabetes. Type I in which your body does not make insulin, due to pancreatic insufficiency, which may be related to an autoimmune reaction. Type II involves the inability of your body to utilize insulin as needed.

In both cases, the body is unable to utilize the circulating blood glucose to fuel the cells.

This is a very important contributor to atherosclerosis and heart disease.

The majority of type 2 diabetes can be modified/prevented by diet/lifestyle changes.

Associations/Risk Factors:

Type 1

Family History

Age (younger)

Ketoacidosis

Type 2

Prediabetes

Overweight, Obesity

Family members with type 2

Physical inactivity

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Inadequate diet–high sugar/carbohydrate intake

A BMI greater than 30 is in the obese category. Obesity leads to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. A healthy diet and regular activity can help people maintain a healthy weight starting at an early age.