FISHERSVILLE, Va. (WHSV) – Augusta Health wants to help people at high risk for diabetes find the lifestyle changes they need to avoid the chronic disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11.6% of the US population has diabetes in 2021. Diabetes is a chronic disease that cannot be cured once developed. There are many different types of diabetes and how it develops varies, but type 2 diabetes has risk factors that are related to lifestyle choices and can be modified.
“Prediabetes is just a warning sign that you're at risk for diabetes, so you want to reduce that risk as soon as possible,” says Katherine Berger, M.D., an outpatient dietitian at Augusta Health.
The new course will be offered every Thursday at Augusta Health's Fishersville campus, and Berger said calling the office to learn more about prediabetes and diabetes can help prevent future health complications.
Like diabetes, prediabetes will remain on your medical record for the rest of your life, but Berger says the symptoms and risk factors for prediabetes can be easily managed before the disease strikes.
Augusta Health's risk factors include:
Age, especially those over 45, are at higher risk Weight, those considered overweight are at higher risk of developing diabetes Family history of diabetes Lack of exercise puts strain on the body and makes you more susceptible to diabetes, and developing diabetes during pregnancy increases the risk of developing diabetes permanently
If you suspect you may have diabetes or prediabetes, calling Augusta Health's Diabetes Center is a good first step, Berger says.
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