New Diabetes Guidelines Released

At your next visit to the doctor, you may find a new testing approach and new diagnostic criteria in place for diabetes and prediabetes.

Guidelines released earlier this month by the Canadian Diabetes Association include a recommendation for use of the A1C blood test. This test provides a single, practical measure of average blood glucose with no need for 12-hour fasting.

As well, diabetes will now be diagnosed at different blood glucose levels. Those with an A1C level of 6.5 per cent or greater will be diagnosed with diabetes, while those with an A1C level of 6.0-6.4 per cent will be diagnosed with prediabetes.

Screening for type 2 diabetes is recommended every 3 years for all Canadians over 40, or earlier and more frequently for those with risk factors. 

For Canadians already diagnosed with diabetes, the guidelines encourage knowledge of the heart health ABCDEs:

• A – A1C in optimal range
• B – Blood pressure optimally controlled
• C – Cholesterol in target range
• D – Drugs – heart-protecting medications for the right patients
• E – Exercise and other lifestyle measures
• S – Stop smoking 

New interactive tools for assessment and management of diabetes are available at http://guidelines.diabetes.ca, along with the full text of the new guidelines.

Diabetes – The Burden in Canada

While diabetes can take a serious toll on a person’s health, it also carries a heavy financial burden.

The Canadian Diabetes Association estimates that by 2020, diabetes will cost the Canadian health care system $16 billion a year. People with diabetes incur medical costs that are two to three times higher than non-diabetics. A person with diabetes can face costs for medication and supplies ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 a year.

Although diabetes has traditionally been thought of as an older person’s disease, more than 50% of Canadians diagnosed with diabetes are of working age – between 25 and 64 years old – according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. As a result, diabetes rates also have an impact on employee absence, disability and benefit plan costs.

The greatest relative increase in diabetes rates is seen in the 35-to-39 and 40-to-44-year-old age groups. This increase in younger age groups is, in part, likely due to growing levels of overweight and obesity. Adults who are obese are two to four times more likely to have type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes – Prevalence and Prevention

Today, about 3 million Canadians live with diabetes. The Canadian Diabetes Association estimates another 6 million are prediabetic.

The number of Canadians with type 2 diabetes is growing dramatically for a few reasons:

• The population is aging.
• Obesity is on the rise.
• Canadian lifestyles are more sedentary.
• Aboriginal people are three to five times more likely than the general population to develop type 2 diabetes.
• Almost 80% of new Canadians come from populations that are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. These include people of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian and African descent.

So what’s prediabetes?

Prediabetes is identified when the blood glucose is above normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes.

Exercise, along with healthy eating and weight loss, can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. In one large study, people at risk of type 2 diabetes reduced their risk by 58% by exercising moderately for 30 minutes a day and losing just 5 to 7 per cent of their body weight. In people age 60 and older, the risk was cut by almost 71%.

Will Canada avoid the diabetes epidemic?

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in Canada with more than 60,000 new cases each year. The Canadian Diabetes Association says more than 1.8 million Canadians are currently diagnosed with diabetes and that the disease can shorten life expectancy by 5 to 15 years. 

Beyond the obvious health issues, diabetes is costing Canadians. According to Canada’s Diabetic Cost Model, the economic burden of the disease was over $12B in 2010. This amount could increase to $17B by 2020 if left unchecked. 

But it’s not all bad. 

Research shows that lifestyle changes can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Healthy eating, weight control and physical activity are important prevention steps. In fact, in some cases, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by diet and exercise.

As with any medical condition, being well informed is an important first step. Stay tuned for our weekly posts on diabetes facts.

Diabetes Awareness in November

November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

All of us know a few people who have diabetes. We hear about insulin, Type 1 and Type 2 but do you know the basics?

Facts you should know

Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the pancreas which produces insulin, doesn’t work. It produces little or no insulin.

• About 10% of diabetics have Type 1.
• Type 1 can’t be prevented.

Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin being produced doesn’t work well.

• About 90% of diabetics have Type 2.
• In some cases, Type 2 is preventable.

Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women. This type of diabetes is temporary.

About 3.7% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes. This percentage is higher with aboriginal women. Women who develop gestational are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in their lives.

What exactly, is insulin?

Insulin is a hormone that helps your body control its glucose or blood sugar level. Your body gets energy by making glucose from foods like bread, pasta, milk and fruit. Insulin helps keep the body’s blood glucose at a healthy level.

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, more than 9 million Canadians live with diabetes or prediabetes.