Like many other dangerous illnesses, diabetes does not discriminate. However, in the United States, Type 2 diabetes affects Latinos at double the rate of whites.
Among Latinos, experts predict that 45 percent of men and 53 percent of women who were born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Diabetes is the causes of one in five deaths of people younger than 25. The prevalence of diabetes varies with age, but among Latinos older than 50, the rate is very high, with almost one in every five Latinos suffering from diabetes.
Diabetes is a silent killer, because the majority of cases are not detected until the disease is in an advanced stage. Diabetes affects 17 million people in the U.S., although almost six million of them do not know they have the disease. Within 50 years, 28 million North Americans will have diabetes.
There is no cure for diabetes, but preventative measures can postpone its onset and prevent the great majority of its devastating complications.
Get a medical exam, especially if you have a family history of diabetes. Take advantage of services at the health department, in clinics and other public agencies in your community to diagnose the illness.
Make it a point to change your lifestyle, like quitting smoking and eliminating, or at least reducing, your consumption of alcoholic beverages and fast food.
Exercise to control your weight.
This information is meant only to educate and inform. Do not take or discontinue any action based on this information. It is important to consult your doctor.