Could you have ‘A Touch of Sugar’?

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In honor of World Diabetes Day on this Thursday, Nov. 14, the Delaware County Diabetes Association is hosting a free screening of the new film “A Touch of Sugar” at 7:30 p.m. at the William Street United Methodist Church at 28 W. William St., Delaware. Refreshments are provided.

More than 30 million Americans (1 in every 10 adults over 20 years old) currently have diabetes, with the majority being type 2. It is suspected that 8.1 million are undiagnosed or unaware of their condition. At the current rate, the number of cases of diabetes in the United States will increase 54% by 2030. An even more disturbing statistic is that 1 out of every 3 Americans or 84 million citizens have prediabetes, a condition where their blood sugar (glucose) level is higher than normal, but not so high to qualify as a type 2 diabetic. After receiving the news that she is prediabetic and knowing two of her sisters are diabetic, actress Viola Davis (most known for her work in “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Fences”) decided to take action by narrating this documentary.

Ms. Davis wants “people to know that type 2 diabetes can have severe consequences. It’s not something to be taken lightly – we need to take it seriously if we’re going to get it (the diabetes epidemic) under control.”

Prediabetes can be reversed with lifestyle changes like altering your diet and exercising more. Just go to the website DoIHavePrediabetes.org and take the risk assessment. Then if you are at high risk, you can search for a prevention program in your local area and start making the necessary changes to avoid getting type 2 diabetes. The Central Ohio YMCA offers just such classes for prediabetics.

A recent article in the October issue of Medical Economics quoted the results of a survey of 1,000 primary care doctors and found that only 42 percent chose the correct values for lab tests that would identify prediabetes. Results also revealed that 25% of physicians may be diagnosing patients as having prediabetes when they actually have diabetes, which could delay proper treatment. Ask your physician to monitor your Hemoglobin A1C level which is a simple blood test that measures your average blood glucose level over the past 2-3 months especially if you have many of the risk factors for prediabetes. Then you can find out if you too have “A Touch of Sugar.”

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By Dr. Jane Graebner

Guest columnist

Jane E. Graebner, D.P.M. is a local podiatrist serving as president of the board of the Delaware County Diabetes Association since 2016.

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