Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism-the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. Most of the food that we eat is broken down into glucose, a form of sugar in the blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body.
After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by our body cells for growth and energy. For glucose to get into the cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach. The pancreas is called the "tongue of our belly" because it has the same shape and size as the tongue in our mouth.
When we eat, the pancreas is supposed to automatically produce the right amount of insulin to move glucose

from our blood into our cells. In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Glucose then builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body. Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. About 90-95% of people with diabetes have this type. It is usually associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, history of diabetes during pregnancy, physical inactivity, and ethnicity. About 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Many experts agree that obesity is one of the most pressing health problems facing the country. Over the last twenty years, obesity rates have doubled in adults and children and tripled in teens. Two-thirds of Americans are now overweight or obese.
The term BMI is often used when discussing the obesity epidemic, but what is BMI? BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. BMI can be calculated with simple math using inches and pounds, or meters and kilograms. For adults aged 20 years or older, BMI falls into one of these categories: underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. Individuals with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, while individuals with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese.
Body Mass Index can be calculated using pounds and inches with this equation
BMI = ( Weight in Pounds (Height in inches) x (Height in inches) ) x 703
For example, a person who weighs 220 pounds and is 6 feet 3 inches tall has a
BMI of 27.5: ( 220 lbs. (75 inches) x (75 inches) ) x 703 = 27.5
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the increases in both diabetes and obesity were observed in all demographic and geographic segments of the population. Mississippi was found to have the highest rates of both obesity and diagnosed diabetes while Colorado had the lowest rate of obesity and Alaska had the lowest rate for diabetes. Blacks had the highest rates of both obesity and diabetes among all races and ethnic groups, and individuals with less than a high school education had higher rates of both obesity and diabetes than those with high school education.
The director of the CDC's diabetes program states that these recent, national increases have more to do with lifestyle than with genetic make-up. New studies show that healthy eating and regular physical activity can actually prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes even in high-risk individuals.
Diabetes is serious - but it is also preventable. We now have scientific evidence that with modest weight loss, diabetes prevention is proven, possible and powerful. For more information about diabetes prevention, call 1-800-438-5383 or visit www.ndep.nih.gov and get your free GAME PLAN for preventing type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is serious - but it is also preventable. We now have scientific evidence that with modest weight loss, diabetes prevention is proven, possible and powerful.