Diabetes is a group of diseases in which the body is unable to properly utilize insulin. Insulin is needed to control blood glucose.

There are different types of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is autoimmune and typically detected shortly after birth. The pancreatic beta cells are attacked and therefore do not produce any insulin. The person with type 1 diabetes takes insulin shots to compensate.

Type 2 diabetes (over 90% of all cases of diabetes) is due to the body’s insufficient production of insulin. This is often due to overweight. Type 2 is typically diagnosed in adult years although as of the last 5 years, children are getting diagnosed with greater frequency.

Gestational diabetes occurs when a mother at-risk for diabetes becomes pregnant. Very often, these mothers give birth to very large babies. It is very likely that a woman with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes in later years.

Finally, some people are pre-diabetic or at-risk for diabetes. You are pre-diabetic when your blood glucose is elevated but not completely abnormal. This is a sign that you will progress to type 2 diabetes if lifestyle is not altered. If you have a family member with diabetes or you are over weight, you are at-risk for developing type 2 diabetes.