Testing Recommended For 'Pre-Diabetes'
Diabetes May Be Avoided With Lifestyle Changes
Posted: 4:50 p.m. EST March 27, 2002
WASHINGTON -- The government says nearly 16 million
people with a condition known as "pre-diabetes" should be tested
so they can take steps to prevent full-blown diabetes.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says those
diagnosed with it will likely develop diabetes within a decade unless they do something about it.
He told a news conference that diet and exercise can at least
delay, if not completely prevent, type 2 diabetes from striking.
"We want people to know that pre-diabetes is a
serious condition that can be reversed or alleviated with modest changes in
their daily routines -- such as eating fewer calories and walking regularly
for exercise," Thompson said.
Doctors have long known that a condition called "impaired
glucose tolerance" indicates a risk of diabetes. The government
has renamed the condition "pre-diabetes" to make it easier for
people to understand.
"About 16 million people in the country have pre-diabetes and most of them
don't know it," said Dr. Judith Fradkin of the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.
The guidelines recommend that everyone 45 or older --
particularly those who are overweight -- consider getting tested.
And they say doctors should consider testing younger adults if
they are significantly overweight and have another risk -- such as a
diabetic relative or bad cholesterol.
Thompson also released an updated estimate showing 17
million Americans suffer from diabetes -- an increase of 8 percent from the
most commonly used previous estimate. The new estimate is based on
population changes in the most recent U.S. census.
Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure,
amputations and heart disease. The disease kills 180,000
people in the United States each year.
He told a news conference that diet and exercise can at least
delay, if not completely prevent, type 2 diabetes from striking.
"We want people to know that pre-diabetes is a
serious condition that can be reversed or alleviated with modest changes in
their daily routines -- such as eating fewer calories and walking regularly
for exercise," Thompson said.
Doctors have long known that a condition called "impaired
glucose tolerance" indicates a risk of diabetes. The government
has renamed the condition "pre-diabetes" to make it easier for
people to understand.
"About 16 million people in the country have pre-diabetes and most of them
don't know it," said Dr. Judith Fradkin of the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.
The guidelines recommend that everyone 45 or older --
particularly those who are overweight -- consider getting tested.
And they say doctors should consider testing younger adults if
they are significantly overweight and have another risk -- such as a
diabetic relative or bad cholesterol.
Thompson also released an updated estimate showing 17
million Americans suffer from diabetes -- an increase of 8 percent from the
most commonly used previous estimate. The new estimate is based on
population changes in the most recent U.S. census.
Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure,
amputations and heart disease. The disease kills 180,000
people in the United States each year.Copyright 2002 by KIROTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
















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