What Does Diabetes Mean?

Your pancreas produces a hormone called insulin that converts the sugar created from the food you eat into energy for your body. When your body cannot use or produce this hormone properly, the sugar that should fuel your body builds up in your blood instead, causing the disease known as diabetes.

Types

• Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body produces no insulin at all. Type 2 diabetics do create some insulin, but their cells have become resistant to its effects.

Occurrence

• Type 1 diabetes is the most rare form of the disease, affecting only 5 percent of those diagnosed. Type 2 is the most common form, affecting 90 percent to 95 percent of all diagnosed.

Cause

• Insulin production can be affected when your body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce the hormone, such as with type 1, or from physical factors such as excess abdominal fat, as with type 2.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosing diabetes requires a blood glucose test, in which your blood is drawn either after a fast or normal eating schedule, and the sugar levels measured.

Treatments

• Treating either type of diabetes starts with adopting a healthy diet and exercise program. Type 1 diabetics must also administer daily insulin injections, while type 2s may need oral medications or insulin to keep their blood sugar levels healthy, depending upon the severity of their condition.

Complications

• If left untreated, high blood sugar levels can damage other parts of the body, including the heart, eyes and kidneys.