We receive a lot of questions about diabetes at the MultiCare Center for Diabetes Education, so we thought it would be helpful to share some of our answers. After all, diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the United States, about 8.3 percent of our population.

If you have additional questions that aren’t answered below, including questions about insurance coverage, feel free to call the MultiCare Center for Diabetes Education at 253-697-2801 in Puyallup and east Pierce County, or at 253-403-3131 for questions about diabetes and children.

Q: What are the symptoms of diabetes?

A: Type 2 diabetes, previously known as adult-onset diabetes, is the most common type of the disease. Most people who have type 2 don’t have symptoms until they have had diabetes for years. When their blood sugar gets high enough for them to have the symptoms, they may experience increased thirst and urination, fatigue, numbness or tingling in their hands or feet, blurred vision, slow healing of cuts or sores, or dry, itchy skin and frequent infections.

Q: What are the risk factors for diabetes, and how often should I be screened?

A: People should be screened for type 2 diabetes at least by the time they turn 45 and have the test repeated every three years, according to the American Diabetes Association.

However, younger people should be screened earlier if they have any risk factors, such as a family history of diabetes, or if they are overweight or obese.

One way to tell whether you are carrying extra weight is to measure your waist circumference. If it’s more than 35 inches for women or more than 40 inches for men, there is extra weight around your waist.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in certain ethnic groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans. Type 2 is becoming increasingly common in kids and teens, so doctors have begun to screen patients at younger ages.

Q: Are there any tests that can determine whether I have diabetes?

A: There are three different blood tests that can be done to see whether someone has the disease. They need to be confirmed by a second lab test to diagnose someone with diabetes.

Q: If I am diagnosed with diabetes, is there any treatment?

A: For people who have type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes are the main treatments. It’s very important that, when a person is diagnosed, that they go to an education program and learn all the diabetes self-management skills so they can keep their blood sugars in control and live a long and healthy life.

When people come to us ready to make change and get their health in control, we see amazing results. We regularly see people with high glucose, high blood fats and high blood pressure who lose weight through a healthy diet and exercise. They can bring all their numbers down to the normal range.

Q: What can be done to prevent diabetes?

A: Lifestyle changes are the key to controlling or preventing type 2 diabetes. People who keep their blood sugars, blood pressure and blood fats (cholesterol) in the target ranges through diet and exercise — and sometimes medications — can prevent or delay the complications of diabetes.

It is uncontrolled diabetes that can cause damage to your body.

If you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, that means the cells in your body are becoming resistant to the insulin your pancreas makes, and your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes.

However, if you don’t make some lifestyle changes now, you will most likely develop type 2 diabetes. The less fat and more muscle you have will decrease your resistance to insulin.

So, as they say, you need to move more and eat less.

three quick tips:

 • Eat a healthy diet. Watch portion sizes, avoid fried foods or high-fat foods, and eat fruits and vegetables daily.

 • Be physically active. Walk 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Exercise uses up sugar in your blood, decreases your resistance to insulin and helps you lose weight.

 • Drop some weight. If you are overweight, a reduction of 5 to 10 percent will greatly reduce your risk of getting diabetes. A great way to assess your risk of getting type 2 diabetes is to visit www.diabetes.org/risk and take a short quiz.

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic lower-limb amputations (not related to injury), and new cases of blindness among adults. It’s also a major cause of heart disease and stroke, and it’s the seventh-leading cause of death.

At MultiCare, we’re committed to helping people in our community avoid the factors that put them at risk for diabetes. We offer early intervention for those who have pre-diabetes, and we provide medical care and support to ensure those who have diabetes are able to live as fully as possible.