Either you are living with it, or you hear about it all the time in the media, but do you know how prevalent it is, and who may be more likely to get it? Read on.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and it presents the perfect time to increase your awareness about this illness that affects over 30 million Americans.
What is there to know about it? Here are five (perhaps) surprising facts about diabetes.
1) It Doubles Your Risk of Getting Many Other Diseases…and Dying From Them
Having diabetes doubles your risk of dying from heart disease and stroke. Doubles!
2) If You Have Prediabetes, You Most Likely Don’t Know It
Experts say that 9 out of 10 people living with prediabetes have no idea they have it. They are a walking tim bombs, when it comes to safe blood sugar levels.
Related: What’re the Healthiest Oils for Frying?
3) Prediabetes Can Be Reversed
The good thing about being diagnosed with prediabetes is that you can turn things around. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you lose weight and get regular physical exercise of at least 150 minutes per day, your risk of developing diabetes drops.
4) It Affects a Large Portion of the Population
Almost 10 % of the population in the United States is living with diabetes, and millions more are prediabetic.
5) It Targets Certain Populations More Than Others
Statistics show you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
