What's Up with World Diabetes Day?

Why is this so important?  How about these reasons:  

• Here in the United States 23.6 million people live with diabetes.  Another 5.7 million are undiagnosed.
• Current trends say that 1 in 3 Americans will develop diabetes in their lifetime, and those with diabetes will lose on average 10-15 years of life. 
• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults, as is kidney failure and non traumatic amputations.
• Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death on death certificates in 2006.
• In 1999-2000, 7% of US adolescents aged 12-19 had impaired fasting glucose.
  

Of the 23.6 million people with diabetes, 3 million have type 1 diabetes.  With early detection and prevention, people living type 2 diabetes, and pre-diabetes, could reduce these statistics by 58%!    

No one wants live not feeling well, or worse with the devastating complications, and often people who do have complications will admit, “If only I had known!”  So here are some statistics to validate a World Diabetes Day: 

• Blood glucose control reduces risk for eye, kidney and nerve damage by 40%.
• Blood glucose control reduces risk for heart disease and stroke among people with diabetes by 33%-50%
• Comprehensive foot care reduces amputation rates by 45-85%!
  

Statistically, people with undiagnosed diabetes arrive at the hospital seriously ill and run a healthcare bill of $18 Billion dollars a year, just for initial diagnosis. While most people think this is type 2 diabetes, many are undiagnosed type1 and there is additional trouble if they arrive in diabetes ketoacidosis, also known as DKA.  Averages of 25-40 percent of cases are in DKA.  By allowing the body to go untreated to the point of DKA means a greater change for diabetes complications.  Studies show that with early detection, DKA can be dropped to as little as 12%.  A good reason for knowing the signs!    

The signs for diabetes need to be quick to everyone’s mind and we have not gotten there yet!  For people who do not have diabetes it is fear of change, for people who live with diabetes it is fear of being labeled.  As patients, doctors and family, we are all guilty of not spreading awareness out of fear!  But the truth is, with all the tools we have it is very manageable and with a little more effort, we could be a healthier nation as a result!  Education is the strongest assault on fear!  

Here’s a little trivia, November 14th is Frederick Banting’s birthday.  Who is Frederick Banting?  A Nobel Prize winner for a little something called insulin! In 2006, UN passed a resolution to recognize Banting’s birthday as World Diabetes Day and gave us the color blue to represent diabetes awareness.  The signs of diabetes need to be as obvious as the color pink is to cancer! Share your experience and knowledge, and color it blue!

Ann Bartlett has type 1 diabetes and writes for MyDiabetesCentral.com. She is a Wellness Center Owner.