Diabetes; Are You at Risk?

Type I diabetes is the less common type of diabetes in which the person produces no insulin at all, and requires an external supply of insulin. It is considered an autoimmune disease. It frequently develops in childhood.
Type II diabetes is carbohydrate intolerance due to the body's inability to use insulin normally, to produce enough insulin, or both. Impaired glucose tolerance and type II diabetes are associated with excess body fat (especially "belly fat"), physical inactivity, and aging. Obesity aggravates insulin resistance: as body fat increases, body tissues become less able to respond to insulin. Most experts believe that the rising rates of diabetes and it's destructive consequences can be eased or even stopped by adopting healthy behaviors that include weight management and regular physical activity. Type II diabetes is the more prevalent type; about 85-90%. Cases have increased exponentially in the U.S. in recent years as a result of the obesity epidemic.
Insulin resistance is the condition where the body's cells fail to respond to insulin as they do in healthy people.
For those with type II diabetes, the American Diabetes Association's guidelines recommend:

• Weight loss of 7% or more
• 150 or more minutes per week of physical activity
• Percent of total calories from energy nutrients: 15-20% protein, less than 30% fat (10 % saturated), and approx. 50% from carbohydrates.