The Diabetes Epidemic
Of the 20 million people in the US with diabetes, 6 million do not even know it.
Are you at risk?
Carrying extra weight around your middle (abdominal adiposity) can predispose you to diabetes. Most overweight people have some degree of pre-diabetes and don’t know it.
What is diabetes?
Our bodies run on glucose for energy. Starches we eat get turned into sugar, which gets absorbed into our blood stream. Where we actually need the sugar is in our brain and muscle cells, but it can only get there with the help of the hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas.
Extra abdominal fat causes insulin resistance, so the insulin can’t do its job. The situation is similar to running the furnace with the windows open . . . eventually the furnace will give out. In type II diabetes (90% of all diabetes is this type), the pancreas works harder to overcome the insulin resistance. After years of working overtime, the pancreas poops out, blood sugars rise, and diabetes ensues.
What are the health risks of diabetes?
Diabetes can really take its toll on the body. The risk of a heart attack increases dramatically with diabetes, such that heart disease is the #1 cause of death. All diabetics need to maintain control of their blood sugars, blood pressure (goal is lower than 130/80), and cholesterol levels (goal LDL lower than 100). Doing so will help decrease the risks of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, nerve and eye problems.
What are the early symptoms?
The body responds to high blood sugars by diluting the sugar and peeing it out. Hence, increased thirst and urination are the first two symptoms of diabetes. The most noticeable symptom is getting up at night to urinate more often than usual.
What can I do to prevent diabetes?
Like many health problems, diet and exercise are key. A recent report found that losing 7% of your body weight decreased your chances of getting diabetes by 58%. For example, someone weighing 200 pounds that loses just 12 pounds cuts their risk of acquiring diabetes in half.
Are there diabetes studies at RCR?
Yes. Please see the left side navigation for a list of our current studies or contact us.
Rochester Clinical Research performs clinical research trials and studies for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We rapidly recruit and screen quality volunteers to participate in clinical studies, and we maintain a large database of volunteers. Study volunteers receive free study-related medical care, investigational medicines, and a monetary stipend to compensate for their time and travel. RCR studies include therapeutic areas and drug categories such as weight loss, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, flu vaccines, and smoking cessation. Our state-of-the-art medical office facility is staffed by highly qualified, caring physicians, investigators, and nurses. RCR is located in Rochester NY and serves the Finger Lakes region of New York. RCR is a WBENC-Certified Women's Business Enterprise.
