Diabetes is caused when the body is unable to produce enough insulin. When this happens, the body can't turn sugar into usable energy. Some people are born with this serious condition and can learn how to manage it. But it also can be brought on by obesity, resulting from poor diet and a lack of exercise. These behaviors are accelerating the growth of diabetes to the level of a national epidemic. What do you need to know to help stop it in its tracks?

1. The number of overweight children has more than doubled since 1988. What percentage of children is currently overweight?

a.) 4
b.) 14
c.) 22
d.) 51

2. How many Americans currently suffer from diabetes?

a.) 6 million
b.) 10 million
c.) 18 million
d.) 25 million

3. Type-1 diabetes is the kind that sufferers are usually born with. Type-2 diabetes is brought on by unhealthy eating, poor fitness and obesity. Of all diabetics, what percentage has Type-2 diabetes?

a.) 5 to 10%
b.) 20%
c.) 70 to 75%
d.) 90 to 95%

4. What are the total estimated U.S. costs related to diabetes?

a.) $91 million
b.) $76 billion
c.) $132 billion
d.) $1 trillion

5. For people with diabetes, walking a half-hour to an hour a day lowers the risk of dying from heart disease by how much?

a.) 32%
b.) 40 to 50%
c.) 64%
d.) 75%

In reviewing the answers to this quiz, you'll learn that diabetes is widespread and puts a significant strain on our health system – and the health of Americans. As you’ll also see, the majority of cases are preventable. You may be able to avoid Type-2 diabetes by eating well and exercising regularly. If you already have this disease, exercise and good nutrition can help you manage your condition and reduce its risks.

Answers

1. B. The number of overweight children has risen since 1988 from six percent to an estimated 14 percent. (Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and Adolescents, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1999–2002)

2. C. 18.2 million, or 6.2 percent of the population. Of those, only about 13 million have been diagnosed. (National Center for Health Statistics, 2004)

3. D. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have Type-1. Type-2 is the most common form, affecting 90 to 95 percent of sufferers. (American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org, 2005)

4. C. $132 billion. These include direct medical costs of $92 billion, and $40 billion in costs related to disability, work loss and premature death. (Prevention Makes Common Cents: Estimated Economic Costs of Obesity to U.S. Business, Department of Health and Human Services, 2003)

5. B. 40 to 50 percent. Heart disease is only one of a number of diabetes-related conditions, including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, circulatory problems resulting in amputations and nerve damage. (American Diabetes Association Council on Exercise, 2005)