Spotlighting the link between obesity and diabetes
November is American Diabetes Month

Recent media reports have increasingly reinforced the link between diabetes and obesity, however, few people probably realize how prevalent diabetes really is.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, one in seven Americans—about 29 million people—either have type 2 diabetes or are on their way toward developing the disease. Type 2 diabetes, as opposed to type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes, is the more common form of the disease, affecting more than 90 percent of diabetics. What’s more, about 5 million of the people included in the report have not been diagnosed yet, leaving many unknowingly at risk for heart attack, stroke, nerve damage and blindness.

Type 2 diabetes can be controlled through proper diet and exercise. Unfortunately, nearly 55 percent of American adults do not perform the minimum amount of exercise necessary to ward off diseases like diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC predicts that one-third of the children born in 2000 will develop diabetes if improvements are not made to their diet and exercise regimen.

Compounding this growing epidemic is that, as the number of people with diabetes continues to skyrocket, those afflicted with the disease may not be receiving the best possible care. The New England Journal of Medicine recently reported that 76 percent of diabetics are not getting routine glycohemoglobin, or urinary protein, screenings that reflect how well diabetes is being managed and spot such dangerous complications as kidney failure in diabetics.

Treatment for diabetes includes blood tests, eye exams and proper nutrition. But diabetics and those at risk can protect themselves by consulting with their doctors to obtain the best possible care.
November is American Diabetes Month, and PacifiCare Health Systems, one of the nation's largest health care companies, offers information on how to recognize, treat and manage diabetes.

Educate yourself

Risk factors for diabetes include a family history of the disease, high blood pressure, obesity, or even belonging to a minority group, some of which are disproportionately affected by diabetes, particularly Latinos and African Americans. Once diagnosed, diabetics should talk to their doctors about scheduling regular medical tests, continue to monitor their blood sugar and keep a diary of doctors’ appointments and important interval tests.

Lifestyle changes are key to success

The Diabetes Prevention Program, the first nationwide research study designed to find out whether type 2 diabetes can be prevented through diet and exercise, found that people who modify their diet and exercise can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent. The study showed that lifestyle management proved to be more successful than the prescription drug metformin (also known as Glucophage), which decreased the risk of diabetes by only 31 percent.

"People can prevent and manage diabetes with modest changes in their daily routine, such as lower caloric intake and regular, moderate exercise," said Dr. Gordon Norman, vice president of Health Care Quality at PacifiCare." But the first step in identifying and treating diabetes is for people to see their doctor. He or she can prescribe a daily treatment plan, which may include a combination of medication, diet modification and an exercise regimen."

Don’t work alone

People should work with both their doctors and their health plans to make sure they receive the preventive services they need to manage their diabetes. In its 2002 Report on Quality on HMOs, the California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative found that more than 41,000 members with diabetes achieved improved blood sugar control through tools and services made available by their health plans.

Many health plans offer their members programs that help them control their diabetes and encourage and assist them with making positive lifestyle changes. For example, PacifiCare/Secure Horizons’ Taking Charge of DiabetesSM offers guidance on diet, exercise and preventive exams by providing self-care materials. The program is available in both English and Spanish.
“I needed guidance and support to help me make healthful lifestyle changes and track my medical regimen,”said Jesus Nevarez, a Secure Horizons member. “Taking Charge of Diabetes gave me self-help tools I needed to improve my health.”

Forming healthful diet and exercise habits can seem daunting and even unpleasant, but it doesn’t have to be. Small steps, such as walking for 30 minutes each day and choosing more fresh vegetables to replace fried foods, can make an immediate and positive difference in the health and well being of diabetics. More educational information is readily available from the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org) and through PacifiCare’s Taking Charge of DiabetesSM programs (www.pacificare.com).