Spring 2012
Introduction:
Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism, affecting the way the body uses food for energy. There are several types of diabetes with different causes, treatments and outcomes, but each type of diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose, or high blood sugar. These include type 1, type 2, type 1.5 or latent autoimmune diabetes of adults, gestational diabetes and MODY (maturity-onset diabetes of the young). There is no cure for diabetes, though some forms can be managed through diet and exercise, oral medication or insulin injections.
It’s estimated that more than 285 million people worldwide live with diabetes and that number is predicted to reach 349 million by 2030. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death in the world, and it’s estimated that $174 billion is spent in direct and indirect costs associated with diabetes. In America, 25 million people live with a form of diabetes – roughly 1 in 4 adults. About 90-95 percent of diabetics live with type 2 diabetes while 5-10 percent live with type 1 diabetes.