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Diabetes
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Diabetes is a disease in which the
body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a
hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other
food into energy. The cause of diabetes is unknown, although
both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and
lack of exercise appear to play roles. There are 18.2
million people in the United States, or 6.3% of the
population, who have diabetes. Nearly one-third of people
with diabetes remain undiagnosed, unaware that they have the
disease.
The major types of diabetes include Type
1 diabetes, which results from the body's failure to
produce insulin, Type 2 diabetes, which results from
insulin resistance combined with relative insulin
deficiency, Gestational diabetes, which affects about
4 % of all pregnant women in the U.S. annually, and
Pre-diabetes, which occurs when a person's blood glucose
levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a
diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. If you are concerned or feel
that you might be at risk for diabetes, it is important that
you consult with your family doctor immediately. |
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