Diabetes Alert Day at the Health Department

From the Will County Health Department:

JOLIET, IL — The Will County Health Department will hold a Diabetes Alert Day education event on March 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Will County Community Health Center, 1106 Neal Ave. Stop by and take the Diabetes Risk Test and learn how to reduce your risk of Diabetes. Free blood sugar testing will be available.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 8.5 percent of Will County residents have diabetes, which is about 57,593 people. Nearly 30 million people, or one out of every 11 people, have diabetes. Diabetes Alert Day is an ideal time to learn the facts and protect yourself against a growing epidemic.

There are different types of diabetes: type 2, type 1, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way the body process blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Prediabetes is a condition where the blood sugar is high, but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a form of high blood sugar that affects pregnant women.

The Will County Health Department urges everyone to be aware of diabetes risk factors. Common risk factors for diabetes include: being overweight, being over 45 years old of age, having a family history of type 2 diabetes, not physically active, and having gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds. Race and ethnicity are also factors.

Diabetes is a serious chronic disease with potentially fatal consequences. Per the 2014 Illinois Department of Public Health Vital Statistics Report, Will County had 113 diabetes related deaths. Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2013. Other complications from diabetes include: heart disease and stroke, blindness and other eye problems, kidney disease, and amputations. Gestational Diabetes can cause complications for mother and baby; including preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure), birth related trauma, and birth defects.

People who think they could have diabetes should see a physician for diagnosis. Look for the following symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme hunger
• Sudden vision changes
• A tickling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Frequent unexplained fatigue
• Very dry skin
• Sores that are slow to heal and more infections than usual

More than one third of American adults, around 86 million, have prediabetes, and 90 percent of them don’t know it. Structured lifestyle change programs such as the diabetes prevention programs can help people with prediabetes to cut this risk sharply.

Up to 25 percent of US adults who have diabetes aren’t aware they have it and may develop serious complications. Without major changes, as many as one in three adults in the U.S. could have diabetes by 2050. Just a few healthy changes can greatly lower a person’s risk of developing the disease.