Diabetes is a disease that afflicts approximately 29 million Americans, and in an effort to combat the disease with education, November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. According to Nurse Lynn Fisher of Washington County Public Health, there are genetic and external causes for diabetes. If you have a family history of diabetes, such as with a parent or sibling, your likelihood of having it is greatly increased. Ethnicity also plays a factor, as African, Hispanic, and Asian Americans are more likely to develop the disease. She adds, while a poor diet and lack of exercise can be contributing factors to diabetes, the theory that binging on unhealthy or sugary food will cause diabetes on their own is a myth.

There are three kinds of diabetes. Type 1 is when the body is unable to create insulin, which is often diagnosed early in life. It’s typically considered the most serious, and people who have it must receive insulin on a daily basis to keep themselves healthy. Type 2 is when the body cannot properly utilize the insulin being created, and often appears later in life. It’s the most common form and is normally managed through pills, as well as a change in diet and exercise. Gestational diabetes is the least common type, and appears in pregnant women. It’s diagnosed early during a woman’s pregnancy and can cause complications during delivery. It also puts the woman at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. For more information about Diabetes Awareness Month, listen to the In Touch with Southeast Iowa interview with Fisher at KCIIRadio.com starting Tuesday.