Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce adequate amounts of insulin, or does not properly use the insulin that it does produce. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. These two different issues concerning insulin are categorized into two separate types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is when the body does not produce enough insulin, type 2 diabetes is when the body does not use the insulin it does make properly. Diabetes is a life altering disease that affects people all across the United States. It is estimated that currently there are around 29 million people in the United States who currently have diabetes, and there’s and estimated 1.4 million more who are diagnosed each year. It’s estimated
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However, the single best predictor of type 2 diabetes is overweight or obesity. Almost 90% of people living with type 2 diabetes are overweight or have obesity. People who are overweight or have obesity have added pressure on their body 's ability to use insulin to properly control blood sugar levels, and are therefore more likely to develop diabetes. Unfortunately, the prevalence of obesity in native populations is high, thereby increasing their risk for type 2 diabetes. The National Center for Health Statistics report of health characteristics of native populations between 1999 and 2003 showed that native adults were more likely to be obese than their white, black, or Asian counterparts in the United States. So why are Native Americans suffering from obesity so severely that eventually results in …show more content…
Some of the symptoms include but are not limited to urinating often, feeling very thirsty feeling very hungry - even though you are eating, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet. The primary method for the diagnosis of diabetes are blood tests. Blood tests are used to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes because early in the disease type 2 diabetes have little to no symptoms. All diabetes blood tests involve drawing blood sending the sample to a lab for analysis. Lab analysis of blood is needed to ensure test results are accurate. Glucose measuring devices used in a health care provider’s office, such as finger-stick devices, are not accurate enough for diagnosis but may be used as a quick indicator of high blood glucose. Because of the increasing prevalence of diabetes in Native American populations, IHS has instilled measures of early prevention and diagnosis in Native communities. Currently, there is no complete cure for diabetes, but there are multiple ways to improve the quality of life and prevent the disease from causing further onset comorbidities. This mainly includes a complete alteration in lifestyle. Because obesity is a modifiable risk factor, changing the lifestyle of an individual by improving the diet,
However, the single best predictor of type 2 diabetes is overweight or obesity. Almost 90% of people living with type 2 diabetes are overweight or have obesity. People who are overweight or have obesity have added pressure on their body 's ability to use insulin to properly control blood sugar levels, and are therefore more likely to develop diabetes. Unfortunately, the prevalence of obesity in native populations is high, thereby increasing their risk for type 2 diabetes. The National Center for Health Statistics report of health characteristics of native populations between 1999 and 2003 showed that native adults were more likely to be obese than their white, black, or Asian counterparts in the United States. So why are Native Americans suffering from obesity so severely that eventually results in …show more content…
Some of the symptoms include but are not limited to urinating often, feeling very thirsty feeling very hungry - even though you are eating, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet. The primary method for the diagnosis of diabetes are blood tests. Blood tests are used to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes because early in the disease type 2 diabetes have little to no symptoms. All diabetes blood tests involve drawing blood sending the sample to a lab for analysis. Lab analysis of blood is needed to ensure test results are accurate. Glucose measuring devices used in a health care provider’s office, such as finger-stick devices, are not accurate enough for diagnosis but may be used as a quick indicator of high blood glucose. Because of the increasing prevalence of diabetes in Native American populations, IHS has instilled measures of early prevention and diagnosis in Native communities. Currently, there is no complete cure for diabetes, but there are multiple ways to improve the quality of life and prevent the disease from causing further onset comorbidities. This mainly includes a complete alteration in lifestyle. Because obesity is a modifiable risk factor, changing the lifestyle of an individual by improving the diet,