Diabetes News Hound » Pre Diabetes

‘Borderline’ Cases Sugar-Coat the Truth: Dietitian

Chris Frankie — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:24:11 +0000

Diagnoses of “borderline” diabetes are sending the wrong signal to people at high risk of developing the disease, a Mississippi dietitian is warning.

Blood sugar readings above the normal range but just shy of a diabetes diagnosis are often referred to as borderline cases, but the proper term in many cases is “pre-diabetes,” writes registered dietitian Kathy Warwick in the Jackson, Miss., Clarion-Ledger.

A pre-diabetes diagnosis is in order if fasting blood sugar lies between 100 and 125. By another yardstick, the Hemoglobin A1C measure of three-month average of blood glucose levels, readings between 5.7% and 6.4% are considered red flags for developing diabetes as well as heart disease.

Speaking in euphemisms like “borderline” to those with elevated sugar too often fails to convince them to change their diets and lifestyles, Warwick argues. It also risks missing the chance to reap the benefits of early detection, which in many cases can delay or even prevent full-blown cases, she says.

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Multiple Pregnancies Compounds Diabetes Risk

Chris Frankie — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:15:12 +0000

The risk of developing a recurring case of gestational diabetes rises as women have more pregnancies, new research finds.Women who developed the disease in their first pregnancy were about 13 times more likely to develop it again in their second pregnancy, and 26 more likely in their third pregnancy, compared with women without previous gestational diabetes, according to the study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. A summary of the study appears in DiabetesinControl.com.

The data suggested the most recent case of gestational diabetes was the most influential, since about 44% of women with a diagnosis in their second but not first pregnancy developed the disease, compared to 23% of those with the disease in their first but not second pregnancy.

Hispanics, Asians and Pacific Islanders had roughly double the risk compared with whites, even when controlling to factors including age and education. Their higher consumption of rice, linked to elevated sugar and insulin levels, may explain the disparity, the researchers said.

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Push to Make Pre-Diabetes Education a Plan Benefit

Chris Frankie — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:59:46 +0000

A diabetes advocacy group is lobbying Congress to include diabetes education programs as a covered benefit for people with pre-diabetes.The American Association of Diabetes Educators issued a release this week urging the Medicare as well as private insurers to recognize the need for wider dissemenation of Diabetes Self-Management Training. The training dramatically reduces health costs as well as diabetes rates, AADE said.

Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced regulations requiring insurance plans to provide free preventative care, though the rules are not yet in force, InsuranceCorner reports.

“We really view this as common sense,” said AADE President Deborah Fillman. “We are simply calling on Congress and the private sector to recognize this obvious fiscal and public health benefit.”

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Abbott Labs Warned By FDA Over Blood Sugar Monitors

Chris Frankie — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:09:26 +0000

Abbott Laboratories, maker of FreeStyle glucose monitors has received a warning letter from the Food & Drug Administration noting numerous manufacturing violations at its Alameda, California plant, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal.

According to the FDA, the company didn’t follow quality control procedures and didn’t correct problems it identified properly, such as scratches found on FreeStyle Lite blood sugar testing strips. Furthermore, the company said it found key personnel at the company were not qualified for their posts.

The company said it has taken steps to correct the problems and is communicating its actions with the FDA.

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New Test Changing Way Doctors Approach Pre Diabetes

Chris Frankie — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:50:22 +0000

A new test from Tethys Bioscience in Emeryville, CA is changing the way doctors treat people with pre diabetes, according to a recent article from Technology Review.

Currently, there are 57 million people in the United States with pre diabetes. The condition often leads to Type 2 diabetes unless dramatic dietary and lifestyle changes are implemented. PreDx, a blood test, can assess an individual’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the next five years.

Patients taking the test receive their results in a color-coded chart. Low risk is green, yellow is moderate and red is high. They also receive a number between 1 and 10, with 10 indicating the greatest risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

There are currently other tests, but they are often much more expensive than the $250 PreDx test and more time consuming. The company developed the test by looking at blood samples from patients in long-term studies with known outcomes and testing them for many different diabetes markets, such as protein combinations. They then developed an algorithm based on seven proteins and metabolites present in the blood. The test has been used at least 12,000 times since 2008.

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Diet, Not Exercise Top Determinant for Obesity in Kids: Study

Chris Frankie — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:26:44 +0000

A number of studies have suggested that a sedentary lifestyle has led to an alarming increase in obesity in children, leading to a number of healthy issues, such as Type 2 diabetes, according to a recent article from the blog A Stir. However, new research says that a lack of activity is likely the result of obesity, not the cause.

A BBC study that followed 200 children in the U.K. over a period of 11 concluded that there was no indication that extra exercise had any impact on weight, but that kids who did put on weight did less exercise. It’s the classic chicken vs egg argument.

If physical activity isn’t the determinant, then diet and how much the children consume must be a more significant factor, according to the article. However, researchers says that the study should not be a license for fit children to become couch potatoes or obese children to avoid exercise.

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It’s Time for Congress to Renew ‘Special Diabetes Program’ Funding

Chris Frankie — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:52:22 +0000

Federal funding of the Special Diabetes Program is approaching a major crossroads, according to a recent editorial in Tulsa World. Funding for the program first went into effect in 1998 and is set to expire in September 2011.

Under a new bill, which must be passed for funding to continue, $1 billion would be allocated each to Type 1 diabetes research and Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes treatment and prevention programs for Native Americans. Native Americans are disproportionately affected by these diseases compared to the rest of the population. Under the new bill, the funding would continue for five years.

The program, which supports major clinical trials of drugs and treatments as well as preventative programs, has not received an increase in funding in six years.

Nearly 28 million people live with diabetes in the United States. About 90% of those people have Type 2 diabetes. Another 57 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that usually develops into Type 2 diabetes unless major lifestyle and dietary changes are made. The numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate and, if left unchecked, will place unmanageable costs on the local and federal governments.

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Many Diabetics Ignoring Dangers of Hot Weather

Chris Frankie — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:41:52 +0000

People with diabetes often lack the knowledge to effectively manage their diabetes in hot weather, according to a recent article from Newswise.com.

People with diabetes have limited ability to sweat and are therefore are at an increased risk for heat-related issues, including dehydration, according to the researchers. In a survey of 152 people in Phoenix, nearly 20% said they would not take precautions until temperatures surpassed 100 degrees. However, heat illness can happen at between 80-90 degrees. Only about half of the patients knew what the definition of the heat index (which measures temperature and humidity).

The researchers said that it is important to take precaution because insulin and oral medications may lose efficacy at higher temperatures. While most of those surveyed knew insulin was impacted by heat, only 39% knew that it impacted oral medications. Only 41% knew that it impacted glucose meters and 38% knew it impacted test strips.

Instead of take measures to protect their supplies and medication while venturing out of the house, 37% chose to leave supplies at home rather than risk taking it out into the heat. Therefore many may not be able to check their sugars during this period.

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Replacing White Rice with Brown Rice Cuts Diabetes Risk

Chris Frankie — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:39:19 +0000

Eating brown rice instead of white rice may help reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a recent article from WebMD. Experts say that brown rice has a lower glycemic index value than white rice, which means that brown rice makes blood sugar levels rise more slowly than with white rice.

Specifically, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, say those that ate two or more servings of brown rice each week lowered their diabetes risk by 11% when compared to those that ate brown rice less than once per month. For the study, scientists looked at records for 39,765 men and 157,463 women from three other studies.

Conversely, those that ate five or more servings of white rice each week saw a 17% increased risk in chance in developing diabetes. According to the article, swapping 50 grams of white rice each day with 50 grams of brown rice, lowered the risk of developing Type 2 by 16%. Replacing white rice with other whole grains is also an effective way to lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

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Understanding How Diabetes Impacts Your Spouse

Chris Frankie — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:36:49 +0000

Diabetes’ unpleasant side-effects can show up unexpectedly and ruin a perfectly good occasion. While the bulk of the burden of diabetes falls on the patient, it does impact others – spouse or family members. A high blood sugar, a low blood sugar, fatigue and irritability can all require everyone to changing up meal times, activities and plans.

Diabetes Health recently ran a great column about how some spouses approach their partners when it comes to diabetes. For many spouses of diabetics, finding the right balance between helping and being overbearing is a tough one to strike.

Aiding when blood sugars are low by getting a glass of juice or glucose tablets are givens. Being the wife or husband of a diabetic surely requires a certain amount of sacrifice and service, especially during low blood sugar levels. For most, simply being supportive and listening is the key, they say. Help when help is needed but try not to overdo it.

People with diabetes often keep many aspects of the disease to ourselves as not to burden the people around us. However, spouses of people with diabetes, often feel helpless because they do not know what to do except to wait. Understanding the sacrifices and struggles that the wives and husbands of diabetic partners make is important because when one partner has the disease, both have to live with it.

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