Session 1
Getting Started
Let’s begin by reviewing some essential facts about type 2 diabetes and prediabetes and how UPrevent aims to help you preserve your health.
Session 1-1
What is Type 2 Diabetes & Prediabetes? Learn the facts and what they can mean for you.
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
When you eat, your body breaks down certain food (starches and sweet foods) into glucose, a type of sugar.
In people with type 2 diabetes the pancreas does not make enough insulin and the insulin it makes does not work well on the tissues, a condition called insulin resistance. So sugar builds up in the blood and this leads to chronic tissue inflammation which leads to tissue damage.
Facts About Diabetes
30.3 million people in the United States have diabetes
That is about 1 out of every 11 people
1 out of 4 people do not know they have diabetes
Currently, 1 out of 3 people will develop the disease in their lifetime
How We Diagnose Diabetes
A fasting blood sugar (also called glucose) of 126mg/dl or greater
An HbA1c of 6.5% or greater (this test reflects what your average blood glucose has been over the past 3 months)
A non-fasting glucose of 200 mg/dl or more
Type 2 Diabetes can harm your
Heart and blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks and stroke
Nerves, which can affect sensation and organ function
Kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure
Eyes, which can lead to blindness
Feet, which can lead to ampulation
Physical and cognitive function
You are more likely to get type 2 diabetes if you:
Are too heavy (overweight or obese)
Spend a lot of time sitting or lying down
Have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
Are African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Asian American
Are 45 years or older. This may be because people tend to be less active and gain weight as they age. But type 2 diabetes is also on the rise among young people.
Had diabetes while you were pregnant (gestational diabetes)
What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but it’s not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. In most people prediabetes is the earliest recognizable stage in the development of diabetes.
How We Diagnose Prediabetes
- A fasting glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl
- An HbA1c of 5.7-6.4%
Prediabetes can:
Make you more likely to get diabetes and as a result its complications, like heart disease and stroke.
The good news is that losing weight and being active can cut your risk of type 2 diabetes in half.
Prediabetes:https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance