The five must do lifestyle changes that will help you stay out of trouble if you have diabetes, or if you are at risk for the development of diabetes, are:
· Follow a healthy diet
· Maintain an optimal body weight (Body Mass Index not higher than 25)
· Engage in recommended amounts of physical activity
· Don't smoke (don't even think about it)
· Keep alcohol use to no more than 1 drink a day for women, and 2 drinks a day for men.
According to data released earlier this year by American Diabetes Association, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the US in 2007. Last year it was the sixth. In reality, the number is much, much higher, because diabetes is a major contributor to heart disease and stroke.
The economic burden to individuals and the country as a whole is enormous. Costs attributable to diabetes in 2007 were $116 billion in direct medical costs and $58 billion in disability, work loss and premature mortality. Again, this does not account for the contribution of diabetes to the cost of heart disease and stroke.
Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people of similar age but without diabetes.
All of these numbers are undoubtedly underestimates. Many case of diabetes continue to be undiagnosed.
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