Understand diabetes: know the warning signs

The warning signs* of diabetes include:

Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Increased hunger
Weight loss
Tiredness
Lack of interest and concentration
Vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu)
A tingling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet
Blurred vision
Frequent infections
Slow-healing wounds

*These can be mild or absent in people with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Risk Factors

There are many risk factors for type 2 diabetes. They include:

Obesity and overweight
Lack of exercise
Previously identified glucose intolerance
Unhealthy diet
Increased age
High blood pressure and high cholesterol
A family history of diabetes
A history of gestational diabetes
Ethnicity - higher rates of diabetes have been reported in Asians, Hispanics, Indigenous peoples (USA, Canada, Australia) and African Americans.

If you think you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, get tested!

Diabetes prevention

At present, type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. The environmental triggers that are thought to generate the process that results in the destruction of the body’s insulin-producing cells are still under investigation. Type 2 diabetes, however, can be prevented in many cases by maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active.

If you show these signs, seek medical attention!