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Preventing Diabetes
Do You Have Pre-Diabetes?If so, you can take steps to lower the risk for developing the full-blown disease.If your waistline is showing the effects of too many cheeseburgers and your approach to physical activity is to watch it on TV, you may be courting a serious illness. Millions of overweight Americans are one step away from type 2 diabetes.What exactly is ‘pre-diabetes’?“We also call it impaired glucose tolerance,” says endocrin- ologist Larry Merkle, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “When your blood glucose (sugar) levels begin to rise, you are on the way to developing type 2 diabetes. Calling the condition pre-diabetes emphasizes how serious it is.”How do you know you have it?“The only way to know for sure is to take a glucose tolerance test or fasting glucose blood test,” says internist John Pettine, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “There are no symptoms for pre-diabetes, although there are risk factors.” Pettine screens all his patients he thinks may be at risk; if you think you may be, ask your doctor for a glucose test.If you’re diagnosed with pre-diabetes?“In the past, when doctors saw a patient’s blood sugar levels rising they thought there was nothing to do but wait for diabetes to develop,” Merkle says. “Now, the focus is on prevention. Studies have proven that regular exercise, limiting carbohydrates and fat, and losing weight can potentially prevent type 2 diabetes from developing. It also reduces the risk for heart disease.”Diabetes is a major health crisis in the United States. Some 16 million people have diabetes, and 17 million have pre-diabetes. “Researchers are studying the potential of blood glucose-lowering drugs to prevent diabetes,” Merkle says, “but for now, lifestyle changes have the most impact.” “Type 2 diabetes used to occur mostly in people over age 60,” Pettine says. “Today it’s becoming more common in people under 40. In fact, the incidence has tripled in the last 10 years mostly due to the dramatic rise in obesity. I encourage all my patients who are pre-diabetic to change their diet and get more exercise. Staying motivated is hard, but diabetes has potentially serious consequences.” How High Is Too High?Fasting Blood glucoseNormal: Below 110 Pre-diabetes: 110-126 Diabetes: Over 126 Blood glucose two hours after eating Normal: Below 140 Pre-diabetes: 140-200 Diabetes: Over 200 Making ChangesAllen Wong of Whitehall was a classic candidate for diabetes. A year ago, he was overweight and rarely exercised, and the disease runs in his family. When Wong’s physician, John Pettine, M.D., told the 31-year-old he was pre-diabetic, Wong began attending classes at Lehigh Valley Hospital’s Helwig Health and Diabetes Center to learn more about his condition and how to lower his blood glucose levels.Wong switched to diet soda and began a program of healthier eating, and he regularly walks five flights of stairs to his office. He’s lost 15 pounds and reduced his blood glucose levels from 130 to 97. The motivation: his family. “Short term, I want to play in the park with my daughters without getting winded,” he says. “Long term, I want to be around to see my girls grow up.” Bob Ehle Sr. of Emmaus was diagnosed with pre-diabetes a year ago by his physician, John Pettine, M.D. Even though Ehle maintains a healthy weight and exercises regularly, he has a family history of diabetes. At age 74, his pancreas was failing to produce enough insulin. After his diagnosis, Ehle cut out all sugar and limited his carbohydrates. He swims three times a week and plays golf when the weather permits. His blood glucose levels have gone from 187 to 100. Ehle’s wife, Adrienne, cooks low-fat meals and has joined her husband in giving up desserts. “Sure, I miss them sometimes,” Bob Ehle says, “but I don’t focus on what I can’t have. Living longer and healthier is more important. I really don’t want to have to take insulin shots.” This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
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