Diabetes mellitus is a disease where the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use insulin efficiently. Insulin breaks down sugar for energy. When the body cannot do this, glucose and fats remain in the blood and damage organs and systems of the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC reports that over 23 million persons in the United States are affected. Several different types of diabetes mellitus exist.
Type 1 Diabetes and Diabetes for Other Reasons
Type 1 diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin. The affected person must take insulin injections in order to break down glucose. Usually, persons with Type 1 diabetes develop this condition during childhood, therefore in the past this condition was called juvenile diabetes. Five percent of persons with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes. Another 5 percent have diabetes related to illnesses or conditions such as surgury, medications or illnesses, according to the CDC.
Type 2 Diabetes
This accounts for 90 to 95 percent of diabetes cases in those aged 40 or over according to the CDC. In Type 2 diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin, or the insulin is not being effective enough in breaking down glucose. Many people with Type 2 diabetes do not know that they have it. People who are predisposed might have a family history of diabetes. Other risk factors include being overweight, having poor nutritional habits and not participating in regular physical activity. If you are at risk for Type 2 diabetes, it is important to develop healthy lifestyle habits in order to prevent the onset of diabetes.
Prediabetes
Prediabetes is when blood sugars are above normal but not considered at the level of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association reports that damage may be occurring to the body during prediabetes. Doctors might do a fasting plasma glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test to diagnose prediabetes. Treatment includes losing weight. Someone with pre-diabetes is also at risk for other conditions like high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. Healthy lifestyle behaviors are important to consider if you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, which puts you on the road to Type 2 diabetes. 57 million adults had this condition in 2007, according to the CDC.
Gestational Diabetes
A pregnant woman who is not tolerating glucose may be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. This needs to be controlled in order to prevent complications and problems for the mother and child. Pregnant women who have gestational diabetes are more at risk for developing diabetes in the future, according to the CDC. Insulin resistance, or inability for the mother to use insulin, is the cause of gestational diabetes. This can cause the baby to have increased levels of sugar, gain too much weight or have breathing problems at birth.
