Get Healthy Carson City: Diabetes Awareness Month: What is your risk?

This column appears in the Nevada Appeal’s Tuesday health pages. It addresses topics related to the health of our community.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of three adults have pre-diabetes. This is more than 84 million people in the United States who are on the path to develop diabetes. For those who have pre-diabetes, only 10 percent are aware of their health condition and 30 percent (or 25 million people) will develop Type 2 diabetes within five years (CDC, 2018). This is alarming, but many times can be prevented!

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not make enough insulin. Insulin is a chemical that helps keep your blood sugar at healthy levels. Over time, many health problems including kidney damage, nerve damage, loss of eyesight, and heart circulation problems can occur if blood sugar is not controlled. Symptoms of diabetes include excessive urination, feeling very thirsty or hungry, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, and cuts or bruises that are slow to heal.

Some groups have a higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes than others. According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population. Those who are obese, who smoke, or have diets high in sugar or processed foods are also at an elevated risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

Carson City Health and Human Services, along with the American Diabetes Association, is encouraging people to take a Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test. The Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test can be found online at www.diabetes.org and at some healthcare provider offices. You can also pick up your risk test at Carson City Health and Human Services at 900 E. Long St. By answering a few questions, you will have more information about your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes and can use the information to have an important talk with your doctor. Your doctor will give you proper guidance and treatment options. If your doctor tells you that you have Type 2 Diabetes, you may be referred to a Diabetes Self-Management Education class. These classes are designed to teach you to how to manage your disease and keep you healthy.

If you are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, but have not been told you have the disease, there are also Diabetes Prevention Program classes available in our community. These classes are designed to teach people how to prevent Type 2 Diabetes from occurring through diet, exercise, and much more. Both the Diabetes Self-Management and Diabetes Prevention Program classes are offered at Carson Tahoe Hospital. If you would like information about these classes, you may call 775-445-8607. Additionally, if you are looking for the Diabetes Self-Management class in Spanish, United Latino Community offers it. Contact United Latino Community at 775-885-1055 for information.

Finally, it is important to know that with knowledge, comes power. The time invested in learning and understanding your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes is important to your long-term health and wellbeing. Please take the Diabetes Risk Test today!

For information about services and programs available to you through Carson City Health and Human Services, please visit our website at gethealthycarsoncity.org, follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/cchhs, or call us at 775-887-2190.