CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Diabetes Prevention Begins With You

The Greeneville Sun - 12/11/2017

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States - and the primary cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations and adult-onset blindness.

What many people may not know, however, is that there are steps to help prevent diabetes, public health officials say.

"More than one-in-10 people in Tennessee have diabetes and about 250,000 Tennesseans are living with undiagnosed diabetes," according Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, in a recent news release. "Many more meet the criteria for prediabetes," he added.

"The most important things we can do to avoid this disease are getting regular physical activity, avoiding excessive sugar and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight," the health commissioner continued.

"We have to create the conditions in our culture that make it easier for all of us to achieve these goals," he added.

Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting how the body uses insulin to process sugar, the TDH news release explains.

Over time, too much sugar in the bloodstream causes serious health problems such as heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease.

WHAT IS PREDIABETES?

Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to result in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, the release continues.

Those with prediabetes are at increased risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke.

To help reduce their chances of developing diabetes, state health officials are encouraging those with pre-diabetes to enroll in evidence-based diabetes prevention programs, which are available across the state. To learn more about these programs, go online to www.tn.gov/health/article/diabetes-prevention-program.

"We know the best way to treat diabetes is to prevent it in the first place," said TDH Family Health and Wellness Deputy Medical Director Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, in the release.

"The best way to do that is to make healthy food choices and exercise regularly," Fiscus added.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF?

Here are some recommendations from the state health department to protect yourself from diabetes:

Take the online test www.doihaveprediabetes.org to understand your risk.

Talk with your health care provider about simple lifestyle changes you can make.

Achieve a healthy weight.

Consume fruits and vegetables every day (at least five one-cup servings per day.)

Increase your physical activity. Adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity daily and children should get at least one hour of activity every day.

For those already diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, the TDH offers a self-management workshop, called "Take Charge of Your Diabetes," officials note.

Individuals with diabetes along with their family members and caregivers are welcome to attend the six-week program which provides skills to self-manage diabetes and work closely with their health care professionals.

To learn more about this workshop, go to www.tn.gov/health/article/what-is-take-charge-of-your-diabetes.

Nationwide News