November is American Diabetes month and the American diabetes Association is asking, “How will you stop Diabetes?” Last November, the American Diabetes Association launched the Stop Diabetes movement, with the bold goal of having 1 million people join in the first year. So far, more than 814,000 people around the country have raised their hand and pledged to join the fight. There are plenty of ways you can become involved in American Diabetes Month and the Stop Diabetes movement this November. Therefore, please don’t waste time in learning the symptoms and getting the facts about diabetes. Drastic action is needed from everyone.

A new federal report predicts that one in three American adults may have diabetes by 2050‚  with the number of diabetes patients projected to double or triple over the next 40 years. These projections come from new analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)‚ published in the journal Population Health Metrics. The report points out three key demographic factors behind the increased diabetes prevalence: an aging population‚ increases in high–risk minority groups‚ and better survival in people who already have diabetes. Total costs of diabetes are an estimated $174 billion annually‚ including $116 billion in direct medical costs‚ the CDC says. The new report predicts that the number of new diabetes cases each year will increase from eight per 1‚000 people in 2008 to 15 per 1‚000 in 2050.

“These are alarming numbers that show how critical it is to change the course of type 2 diabetes‚” said Ann Albright‚ director of the CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation. ”Successful programs to improve lifestyle choices on healthy eating and physical activity must be made more widely available‚ because the stakes are too high and the personal toll too devastating to fail.” According to Sue Kirkman‚ senior vice president of medical affairs and community information for the American Diabetes Association‚ these new projections are probably the most accurate because of the amount of information used to make them. ”We definitely know that people with diabetes are living longer than they did 20 years ago‚ and are less likely to have complications‚” Kirkman said. Earlier this year‚ the CDC launched the National Diabetes Prevention Program to bring diabetes prevention to communities. The program supports a network of lifestyle intervention programs for overweight or obese people at high risk of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes:

• Frequent urination
• Unusual thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Extreme fatigue and Irritability

Type 2 Diabetes*:

• Any of the type 1 symptoms
• Frequent infections
• Blurred vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
• Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections
• Often people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms