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November 2015 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
Take Control to
Prevent Type 2
Diabetes
By Sarah Wilder, Lexington Clinic
According to statistics released by
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), one out of three
people will develop type 2 diabetes
mellitus in their lifetime. Unlike type
1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes
mellitus can be prevented in most
cases.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a
chronic condition and it affects glucose metabolism by insulin resistance
and relative insulin deficiency. If high
sugar is left untreated, complications,
such as heart and peripheral vascular
disease and nerve damage can occur.
Currently, there is no cure for
either type of diabetes mellitus.
There are many different treatment
options to control type 2 diabetes
mellitus. “However, the best measure
to address type 2 diabetes mellitus is
prevention, particularly for patients
with a high-risk for developing this
condition,” said Chih C. Chang,
M.D., Lexington Clinic endocrinologist.
Obesity is a known risk factor
for type 2 diabetes mellitus. But,
there are other risk factors of which
patients need to be aware that are
commonly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. These include:
• Storing fat primarily in the abdomen, opposed to other places
such as the hips and thighs
• Physical Inactivity
• A family history of type 2 diabetes
• Race: Hispanic, Black, American
Indian and Asian-American populations are more likely to develop
type 2 diabetes mellitus than
Caucasians
• Age: The risk of developing type
2 diabetes mellitus increases as
patients get older
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• A diagnosis of pre-diabetes
• A diagnosis of gestational
diabetes while pregnant,
or giving birth to a child
weighing more than 9 lbs
• For women: Having polycystic ovary syndrome
“There are actions patients
can take in order to limit their
chances of developing type 2
diabetes mellitus. In particular,
adopting healthier eating habits and regular exercise routines are keys to help patients
maintain their ideal weights,”
said Dr. Chang.
There are various ways
patients can achieve these
goals, including reducing portion sizes during meals; finding ways to be more active;
and balancing their diet with
more fruits, vegetables and
whole grains, opposed to fried
foods and processed foods.
Most importantly, patients
should know their personal
risk for developing type 2
Chih C. Chang, M.D., Lexington Clinic Endocrinologist
diabetes.
for patients to prevent type 2 diabetes
“In some cases, it may be
mellitus is to consult with an endonecessary for a physician to prescribe
crinologist, who can determine their
an oral diabetes medication to help
perso