What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into the energy required for daily life.

The cause of diabetes remains a mystery, although both genetic and environmental factors, such as obesity and lack of exercise, appear to play significant roles.

There are currently 23.6 million children and adults in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, living with diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.7 million people (or nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease.

► Click HERE to see the national impact of diabetes

Major Types of Diabetes

There are three major types of diabetes, including:

• Type 1 diabetes - Caused by the failure of the body to produce insulin, a hormone that helps cells of the body to take up glucose required for energy production. About 5-10% of Americans have type 1 diabetes.
  
• Type 2 diabetes - Caused by conditions in which the body becomes resistant to insulin and parts of the body fail to respond to insulin produced by the pancreas. This is the most common form of diabetes.
• Gestational diabetes - Develops immediately after pregnancy. About 5-10% of women have gestational diabetes. It is usually type 2.

Diabetes and Kentucky

• About 9.9% of the adult population in Kentucky have diabetes, compared to a national rate of 7.5%. This means that an estimated 318,00 adults in Kentucky have been diagnosed with diabetes.
• Nearly 29% of diabetes cases are undiagnosed.
• Approximately 611,000 (40%) Kentuckians aged 40-74 have pre-diabetes and are at high risk of developing diabetes.
• One-fifth of children in Kentucky under age 5 weigh too much.
• About 65% of all Kentucky adults are overweight.