Crescent-News.com - Diabetes on the rise nationally and in northwest Ohio

By DARLENE PRINCE

Wherever you look for answers, the conclusion is the same: The incidence of diabetes is on the rise, both nationally and in the northwest Ohio area.

Type 1 diabetes is the result of the body's inability to produce insulin, a hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body and allows glucose to enter them and provide the nourishment the cells need. About 5-10 percent of Americans are estimated to have type 1 diabetes, which is treated with insulin shots.

Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that causes high levels of sugar in the blood. It usually occurs gradually and starts when the body does not respond correctly to insulin. It is the most common form of diabetes and is treated primarily with exercise and diet. Oral medications are also often prescribed for this condition. Type 2 diabetes often occurs in persons who are overweight and sedentary, but can occur in thin people, especially the elderly.

Experts estimate that 23 percent of the general population has diabetes.

Untreated, diabetes has life-changing health complications including causing heart disease, blindness, amputation of limbs and kidney failure.

Belinda Laney, educator/coordinator of the Defiance Clinic Diabetic Treatment Center, said type 1 and type 2 diabetes is on the rise in our area.

"Oh, yes," Laney said, "it is definitely increasing. It is being caused by obesity and our sedentary lifestyle.

"Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, is on the rise here," she said. "It is caused by heredity or, experts think in some cases, a virus. Type 2 diabetes can be hereditary, but is more often caused by abdominal fat and lack of exercise.

"We are finding that what is big right now is a condition called pre-diabetes," Laney continued. "We are seeing a lot of that, especially in younger people who are maybe 10-15 pounds overweight."

There are an estimated 57 million people in this country with pre-diabetes.

"Pre-diabetes means their blood sugar (glucose) readings are no longer normal and that the readings are a little high," Laney said.

(A fasting blood glucose level -- no food or liquids other than water for eight hours -- is 110 mg/dl. Diabetes is usually diagnosed if a blood glucose reading is 126 mg/dl or higher after two consecutive blood tests.)

To help people diagnosed with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, Laney said the diabetes education team at the clinic sets goals.

"For getting exercise, we talk to them to determine what type of exercise they would be able to do," she said. "We try to work it into their lifestyle. We ask if they might want to walk at the mall. If they can't do that, we talk to them about their options. For instance, we ask them if they can do chair exercises."

Laney said the team also works on better nutrition with their patients.

"We work on reducing portion control," she said. "We tell them about the success of using smaller plates when eating meals. We suggest using a nine-inch plate instead of the larger dinner plate. That way, the plate looks full and you have eaten a smaller portion of food, but don't feel as if you had to cut down. Did you know even dinner plates are made larger now than they used to be?"

Laney has several strategies that can be used when eating out, too.

"If the restaurant you choose has large portions, have the waiter bring you a take-home container before you start eating. Then, just put part of the meal into the container and eat the remaining part.

"Or, you could split the meal with a dinner partner," she continued. "Another strategy is to order off the senior menu as those portions are usually smaller."