Diabetes Rates Increase
BINGHAMTON, NY - The number of New Yorkers with diabetes is rapidly increasing, yet nearly one third of those affected do not know they have this disease.
"You could have diabetes for years and not know it," said Claudia Edwards, Public Health Director of the Broome County Health Department "and, during that time, your body can suffer irreversible damage. It is very important to know the warning signs of diabetes and get tested if you think you may have this disease."
Being overweight or obese makes a person much more likely to develop diabetes, she said. According to a recent statewide Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, more than half of adult New Yorkers are overweight and about one in six are obese. The BRFSS reports a 20 percent increase in obesity and a 58 percent increase in diabetes from 1995 to 1999 in New York State. In Broome County it is estimated that almost 7,500 people have diabetes. Prevalence estimates indicate that almost 30% of Broome County adults are overweight. Between 1995 and 1999 the rates of Broome County resident deaths and hospitalizations due to diabetes, are consistently higher than the state rates.
The survey, which used data collected between 1994 and 2000 by the New York State Department of Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), involved telephone interviews of residents selected by random-digit dialing methods.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death among New York State residents. This chronic disease, which has no cure, is increasingly common across the country as well, because more Americans are obese, more are living longer, and Americans of all ages are less physically active than they should be to maintain their health.
There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes develops most often in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. People with this type of diabetes need to take daily insulin shots. About 90 to 95 percent of all people with diabetes have Type 2, which can usually be controlled by healthy eating, being active and taking medications.
Early detection and treatment help prevent the most severe complications of diabetes. Unfortunately, Ms. Edwards said, many people find out they have diabetes only after they become ill or disabled due to blindness, kidney disease, nerve disease, an amputation, heart disease or stroke. This is particularly tragic since a simple blood test is all that is needed to tell someone whether they have diabetes, she said.
People with diabetes do not produce or properly use a hormone called insulin, which helps change food into energy. As a result, they do not gain a normal amount of energy from eating, and their blood has a higher than usual amount of sugar.
The warning signs of diabetes are: a need to urinate frequently, excessive thirst, weight loss despite an increased appetite, extreme fatigue and irritability.
You are at a greater risk of developing diabetes if you are overweight; physically inactive; have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes; and have high blood pressure or abnormal blood cholesterol levels. Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans have a greater risk than others of developing this disease.
The Southern Tier Healthy Living Partnership at the Broome County Health Department offers diabetes information to people living with diabetes, loved ones of diabetics and those at risk for diabetes. One of the goals of the program is to decrease the number of lower extremity amputations caused by complications of diabetes. In 1999, the rate of lower extremity amputations in Broome County was 7.7 per/1000 people. This is higher than the New York State rate of 5.7 per/1000 people.
People with diabetes are at high risk for foot problems. You may have serious foot problems yet feel no pain due to nerve damage. Look at your feet every day to see if you have scratches, cracks, cuts, or blisters. Always check between your toes and on the bottom of your feet. If you can't bend over to see the bottoms of your feet, ask a family member or friend to help you. Call your health care provider at once if you have a sore on your foot. Sores can get worse quickly and lead to severe complications.
Ask your health care provider to look at your feet at least four times a year. As a reminder, take off your shoes and socks when you're in the exam room. A foot exam includes testing your sense of feeling and the pulses in the exam room. If you have nerve damage, deformed or mishapen feet, or a circulation problem, your feet need special care. Ask your health care provider to show you how to properly care for your feet. Also ask if special shoes would help you.
To prevent diabetes or to reduce complications if you already have it, engage in physical activity for 30 minutes on most days of the week, eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day, maintain a reasonable weight, and avoid tobacco.
For more information about proper foot care for diabetics and upcoming foot screening events, contact The Southern Tier Healthy Living Partnership at 1-877-276-1019, or visit the New York State Department of Health website at http://www.health.state.ny.us
CONTACT:
Jennifer Lesko, Supervising Public Health Educator,
Broome County Health Department, 607.778.3929
email: jlesko
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