Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease. You may be diagnosed with diabetes if your doctor determines that your blood sugar is consistently too high. This means that your body is not able to process sugar properly.

Understanding is essential to managing diabetes and reducing your risk of complications. We provide the resources you need to manage diabetes, control symptoms and even avoid getting diabetes altogether.

What are the types of diabetes?

Some people are diagnosed with diabetes at a young age. This is called type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes is usually developed later in life. The risk for type 2 diabetes can be lowered by making healthy lifestyle changes, controlling your weight and watching your diet.

Prediabetes is a condition that shows that you may develop type 2 diabetes. It means your blood sugar is consistently high, but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, effective clinical interventions and lifestyle changes can keep you from developing type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes occurs when you are pregnant. Having gestational diabetes can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes later.

Diabetes symptoms

Many people have diabetes and don’t realize it. Speak to your doctor if you have any of the risk factors above or if you experience:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Excessive hunger
• Vision problems
• Bruises and cuts that won’t heal
• Pain, numbness or tingling in your hands or feet 

Know your risk for diabetes

You may be at risk for type 2 diabetes if you:

• Live an inactive or sedentary lifestyle
• Are overweight or obese
• Eat lots of high-fat, high-calorie foods
• Have relatives with diabetes

Knowing your risk for diabetes is essential to your health. Do you want to learn if you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes? Take our free online diabetes health risk quiz.

Complications of diabetes

Controlling diabetes is critical to preventing complications, or other conditions caused by diabetes.

Uncontrolled diabetes can cause serious complications, including:

• Amputation, especially of the toes, feet or legs
• Eye issues, including blindness
• Heart disease or stroke
• Kidney disease
• Sexual problems, including impotence in men

Our programs help you understand the disease and reduce your risk for complications. Read more about the complications of diabetes in our Health Library.