Diabetes is an illness that can cause serious health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness and amputations. There are three principal types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce insulin or produces very little.
The principal risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes are overweight, inactivity, advanced age and genetic predisposition. In adults, obesity is the principal risk factor, especially if the weight is carried around the waist.
Diabetes is a real threat to the Latino community. The best way to cope with the threat is being well informed. With timely and adequate intervention it is possible to reduce the risk of developing diabetes and prevent its complications.
Twenty years ago, the majority of diabetes cases among children and adolescents was Type 1. But the growing incidence of juvenile obesity has caused an increase in the number of cases of Type 2 diabetes among children.
Many Latinos in the United States believe common myths about diabetes. Some believe that it can be caused by an emotional shock, a fright or the trauma of immigration.
