Overview

Diabetes is a long-term condition that causes high blood sugar levels.

Basics

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal. The food we eat is turned into glucose or sugar for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies.
When you have diabetes, your body either can’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin successfully. This causes sugar to build up in your blood.
Diabetes can lead to other diseases such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and amputations.

The majority of people with type 2 diabetes initially had prediabetes, meaning that their blood glucose levels were higher than normal, but not high enough to indicate a diabetes diagnosis.
Frequent urination

Thirstiness
Unexplained weight loss
Extreme hunger
Sudden vision changes
Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
Very dry skin
Sores that are slow to heal
More infections than normal
Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile-onset diabetes. It accounts for 5% of all diagnosed cases.
Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes. It accounts for about 90-95% of all diagnoses cases.
Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that only pregnant women get.

Type 1 (Less well defined than other types of diabetes)-

Type 2-

Being older in age
Being obese
Having family history of diabetes
Having prior history of gestational diabetes
Having an impaired glucose tolerance
Doing little physical activity
Race/Ethnicity ( African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are particularly at risk for type 2 diabetes)

Tends to occur more frequently in African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and people with a family history of diabetes.
Obesity

Anyone aged 45 years or older should consider getting tested for diabetes, especially if you are overweight
If you are younger than 45 but are overweight or obese, you should also consider getting tested

Type 1-

Type 2

Moderate weight loss and exercise can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes among adults at high-risk of the disease
See resources from the U.S. Center for Disease Control & Prevention for information on living a healthy life: Eat Right and Be Active.