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Are You At Risk For Diabetes

Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have “pre-diabetes” — blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. There are 57 million people in the United States who have pre-diabetes. Recent research has shown that some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a serious medical condition that can be treated. The good news is that the American Diabetes Association’s recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range. While the DPP also showed that some medications may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produced a 58% reduction in diabetes. It is important for people understand their risks for pre-diabetes and what they can do to halt the progression to diabetes and even to, “turn back the clock.” Kalispell Regional Medical Center’s Diabetes Education and Prevention program hosts many classes and events to help those who live with diabetes or are at risk for diabetes. For more information, call 751-5454.