Tuesday is Diabetes Alert Day, and Florida health officials are encouraging the public to learn about their risk for the disease.
Jamie Forrest with the Florida Department of Health says there are a different types of diabetes for people to be aware of—Type 2 being the most common.
“Type 1 diabetes is something that usually develops early in childhood and it’s where the body is unable to produce insulin to manage blood glucose or blood sugar levels,” said she said. “Type 2 diabetes is something that develops later in life often times, although we’ve seen more cases starting in youth, and it’s preventable and controllable.”
She says people over the age of 45 are at a higher risk.
“The risk of diabetes does increase with age,” Forrest added. “Other risks include being at an unhealthy weight, having a family history of diabetes, and not being physically active.”
Forrest says that risk can be lowered by just staying active and maintaining a healthy diet. For more information, visit healthiestweightflorida.com or DoIHavePrediabetes.org.
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