National Diabetes Prevention Program
What is type 2 diabetes?
Understanding type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body can’t use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in your blood. Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition. It can lead to health issues such as heart attack; stroke; blindness; kidney failure; or loss of toes, feet, or legs.
Understanding prediabetes
Prediabetes is a blood glucose level that is higher than normal but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as diabetes. One in three American adults has prediabetes, and most do not even know they have it. If you have prediabetes and do not lose weight or do moderate physical activity, you increase your risk for developing type 2 diabetes at an accelerated pace. However, the program has shown that making moderate behavior changes may help participants lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight — that is 10 to 14 pounds for a person weighing 200 pounds – reducing the risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
Can I prevent type 2 diabetes?
Yes! Hearing your doctor say, “You’re at risk for type 2 diabetes,” or “You have prediabetes,” does not mean that there’s nothing you can do. It means you can start preventing type 2 diabetes today. And you don’t have to do it alone! Finding our lifestyle change program is the first step in your journey. If you have prediabetes, now is the time for prevention. Legacy Health’s lifestyle change program can help you take charge of your health to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Click here to learn more about how this program can help!
