CDC estimates 11 million Americans have undiagnosed diabetes
North Carolina is part of a high-rate region where roughly 250,000 residents have the condition without knowing it.
By Cecilia Martin ·
The CDC estimates that 11 million Americans are living with undiagnosed diabetes.
This figure represents a substantial portion of the 40 million people in the United States who have the disease. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the country and the primary cause of kidney disease.
Novant Health endocrinologist Dr. Adam Spitz noted that North Carolina is part of a region often called the diabetes belt, where rates are higher. He stated that about 1 million people in the state have diabetes, with an additional 250,000 remaining undiagnosed.
Spitz warned that these individuals can develop serious complications without realizing they are ill. These complications include heart disease, advanced kidney disease, and eye problems. The American Diabetes Association identifies Type 2 diabetes as the leading cause of amputation in the United States.
Spitz pointed out that diagnoses continue to rise even as medications improve. He said that rural and under-served communities face particular challenges due to limited access to health care and less education on healthy lifestyles.
The stakes are higher for an estimated 3 million North Carolinians who have prediabetes. Spitz described this group as being at a fork in the road where they can either progress to diabetes or prevent it. Doctors say prevention usually requires sustained changes in diet and exercise, which many people find difficult to maintain.
Andrew Tucker, who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about 15 years ago at age 35, said managing the condition is a daily fight. He weighed about 250 pounds when diagnosed and has lost more than 30 pounds since. Tucker attributed part of his risk to genetics, noting that his father and grandfather also had diabetes.
Tucker uses a continuous glucose monitor to track his blood sugar in real time. In a recent doctor's visit he recorded, a physician told him his average sugar was 129, an improvement from his previous reading. The most common signs of undiagnosed diabetes include excessive thirst, extreme fatigue, and frequent urination.
Source: KMOV
