Diabetes diagnoses rising in Kentucky, bigger problem than data shows – News- Graphic (subscription)

Recent studies are showing more frequent occurrences of diabetes in the U.S. and Kentucky, but the numbers could be even higher than they appear.

Cases of diabetes diagnoses have gone from about 6.5 percent in 2000 to 13.4 percent in 2015 in the state, according to the Kentucky Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance survey. And about one in three people or 37 percent of Kentuckians have prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Scott Countians are faring better than people in eastern Kentucky, which has a higher rate of diabetes, most likely because theres less access to medical treatment in rural areas, said Cindy Caywood, a dietician and director of the Bariatric & Metabolic Center at Georgetown Community Hospital.

Prevalence of diabetes in children has also risen across the U.S., with an estimated 3,000 children in Kentucky having it.

Thats not including people who are walking around that are diabetic, but they dont know, Caywood said. The data has shown that its increased, but the prevalence of folks who have diabetes is much higher than theyre even able to capture in the data.

Most people, if they have blood sugar issues and they dont know it, theyre running high.

Symptoms of high blood sugar include constant thirst, blurry vision, frequently having to use the bathroom and fatigue, according to the Kentucky Diabetes Prevention and Control Program from 2014.

I have some people who will say, My vision was acting up, and they have no idea that that can be a direct relation to their blood sugars, Caywood said.

People not knowing they have the disease can be dangerous, Caywood said.

Usually if someone has diabetes they have other comorbidities, she said.

Circulation and heart problems are some of the conditions that often accompany diabetes. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or stroke while two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, according to the National Diabetes Education Program. Close to 40 percent of people who visit the hospital for cardiovascular issues are diagnosed with diabetes as a secondary condition, Caywood said.

And diabetes-related hospitalization and treatment are costing Kentuckians a lot of money. Charges for inpatient hospitalizations in Kentucky related to diabetes complications in 2015 amounted to $269,148,739, according to the 2017 Kentucky Diabetes Report.

I think theres a lot of folks who cant afford their diabetes, their testing strips, their medicine, Caywood said.

The obvious cause for diabetes is weight gain, although genetics do play a role as well, Caywood said. The number of obese adults in the U.S. have increased drastically to 68 percent today from only 10 percent in 1900, Caywood said.

Although diabetes cant necessarily be cured, there are ways to treat it effectively and keep its symptoms in check.

The good news is that it responds to lifestyle changes, Caywood said.

Eating healthier and exercising regularly can help type two diabetes sufferers lose weight and could possibly reduce their need to take insulin. The key to eating healthier is mostly eating vegetables, fruits and lean proteins as well as staying away from simple carbs sugary foods such as desserts and regular sodas.

For those who find it difficult to lose weight on their own, bariatric surgery is now considered a viable treatment option for diabetics, Caywood said. In fact, patients who have bariatric surgery often see lowered blood sugar levels before leaving the hospital.

It gives them a tool to not just lose the weight but to keep the weight off, she said. If you gain it back, the issues reappear.

Caywood also believes prevention is the best way to fight diabetes.

I think we need more education on healthy eating habits and signs of prediabetes, Caywood said.

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Diabetes diagnoses rising in Kentucky, bigger problem than data shows - News- Graphic (subscription)