Diabetes: Facts About Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, Hispanics are three times as likely to have diabetes as the general population. Accordingly, the incidence of Diabetes in the Valley is very high.

Without adequate treatment and management, diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, loss of limbs, heart disease, stroke, birth defects and premature death. Each year, thousands of Texas, many of them right here in the Valley, suffer the serious complications of diabetes. But these serious consequences can be prevented to a great extent by good control of the disease.

Types of Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association identifies three types of diabetes:

• Type 1 usually develops in children or young adults, but not always. These patients lack insulin, so they must have insulin injections every day for survival, in addition to meal planning, exercise, blood glucose monitoring and diabetes management training.
   
• Type 2 is much more common, and is increasingly occurring in both children and young adults. Type 2 does not always require insulin injections, but will often require medication and weight reduction along with meal planning, exercise, blood glucose monitoring and diabetes management training.
   
• Gestational Diabetes occurs during pregnancy. A small percentage of women who become pregnant develop high glucose levels, usually around 24 weeks. Gestational diabetes can be controlled throughout the remaining weeks of pregnancy. Blood glucose levels usually return to normal after delivery.

Although Diabetes cannot be cured, you do have the essential tools at your disposal to manage diabetes. It’s a matter of knowing what tools to use and how to use them.

For more information on diabetes contact our Diabetes Education Programs in Harlingen or Brownsville.

Diabetes Education Program - Harlingen
(956) 389-1119

Diabetes Education Program - Brownsville
(956) 698-5512

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