Chronic Disease Highlight: Diabetes

More than 37 million adults in the United States have diabetes, with one in five individuals not knowing that they have it. There are almost 600,000 adults living with diabetes in Arizona, and an estimated 1 in 3 Arizonans have prediabetes. Diabetes is a long-lasting health condition that affects an individual’s ability to turn food into energy. After eating, the body breaks down food into sugars released into the bloodstream and signals for the pancreas to release insulin that allows blood cells to use the sugar for energy. There are three primary types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Approximately 5-10% of people with diabetes have type 1, which is caused by an auto-immune reaction that stops the pancreas from making insulin. About 90-95% of people have type 2 diabetes which develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults, although more children, teens, and young adults have been diagnosed within recent years. Additionally, Type 2 diabetes prevalence is approximately 17% higher in rural areas when compared to urban areas. Although there is currently no cure for type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle choices such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active.

Many resources are available for your constituents if they are at risk for diabetes, including the CDC’s prediabetes risk factor test and the Americans Diabetes Association type two diabetes risk test.