NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State
University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
March 12, 1998
Tuesday, March 24, is National Diabetes Alert Day, and March is National Nutrition Month. So? Why should North Dakotans care?
Because of facts like this: a child in North Dakota is 34 times more likely to develop type I diabetes than a child in Japan. And, estimates indicate there currently are about 110,000 North Dakotans who either have diabetes or will develop the disease during their lifetime. Here are two more: diet and physical activity can help control diabetes.
"It's a good idea for all of us to follow the guidelines of the 5 Plus 5 promotion that's underway in the state. Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day and get about 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five times a week," says Julie Garden-Robinson, extension food and nutrition specialist at North Dakota State University. She adds, "A new study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association provides strong support for the role of exercise in controlling and even preventing diabetes."
Diabetes is a disease that occurs for one of two reasons, both of which involve insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas to convert sugar, starches and other foods into energy. Type I diabetes refers to a form of the disease in which the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas die, explains Darian Schaubert, diabetes control project coordinator with the state health department in Bismarck.
The American Diabetes Association says that type I diabetes usually occurs in young children or adolescents, and slim children are the most likely candidates. In order to stay alive, people with type I diabetes must take daily injections of insulin.
With type II diabetes, people's bodies don't make enough insulin, or their bodies can't utilize insulin that's available because of an insulin resistance. Schaubert says type II diabetes does run in families, although it usually takes another factor to produce the disease. Obesity is a primary cause, with type II diabetes usually developing in people older than 40 who are overweight. Type II diabetics may not require daily insulin injections but instead may control their blood sugar and insulin levels with oral medications.
Exercise also helps people with type II diabetes control the disease and can reduce their need for insulin. And, exercise enables the body to utilize insulin and blood sugar more effectively, a factor which can reduce the likelihood that diabetes will develop, Schaubert stresses.
"Since obesity is a risk factor for developing type II diabetes, people who are overweight should try to reach or maintain a weight that's healthy for them," advises Garden-Robinson. "A physician or dietitian can help determine what a healthy weight is."
Based on national prevalence rates for diabetes, as defined by 1990 Census data and estimates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Schaubert offers these estimates for North Dakota's diabetes scenario: there are nearly 19,200 diagnosed and about 12,775 undiagnosed diabetics currently living in the state. By category, that translates to nearly 1,600 North Dakotans with type I diabetes and about 30,375 with type II diabetes.
Diabetes often leads to serious complications. Heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and nerve and vascular damage may result when high levels of sugar remain in the bloodstream for long periods. The annual cost of diabetes care nationally exceeds $40 billion, with North Dakota's portion of that tab totaling about $57 million, according to the North Dakota affiliate of the American Diabetes Association.
"If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, it's important to work with a nutrition professional who can help design a food plan that works for you. Proper food choices can help prevent or delay many side effects of diabetes," says Garden-Robinson.
Warning signs for type I diabetes appear suddenly and can include constant urination, abnormal thirst, unusual hunger, rapid weight loss, irritability, weakness and fatigue, and nausea and vomiting. In addition to family history and obesity, indicators for type II diabetes include drowsiness, itching, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in feet, fatigue, skin infections, and slow healing.
"Parents should contact their family doctor immediately if their children are displaying any of the warning signals for type I diabetes," Schaubert says. "Proper identification and prompt action literally are of life-and-death importance here. Likewise, people experiencing any of the symptoms associated with type II diabetes should see their doctor immediately."
For more information on preventing or controlling diabetes, call the North Dakota Health Department at (701) 328-2698. For details about the 5 Plus 5 program, contact your local office of the NDSU Extension Service.
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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136