Diabetes Defined

Diabetes is also called diabetes mellitus (from Greek and Latin words that mean "siphon" and "honey"), because people with diabetes typically pass sugar into their urine. Diabetes mellitus can take one of two forms: type I or type II.

Type I Diabetes.
Type I diabetes—sometimes called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or IDDM—strikes people under age 35, typically appearing suddenly between the ages of 10 and 16. In this form of the illness, which affects 10 percent of diabetics, a virus or autoimmune reaction probably destroys the insulin-producing cells. Insulin normally enables sugar to pass from the blood into the body's cells. Since a person with type I diabetes has completely stopped producing insulin, lifelong treatment means taking insulin several times daily.

In addition to taking regular insulin injections, people with diabetes must closely monitor their diet and blood levels to avoid the dangers of too-high or too-low blood sugar. More frequent monitoring accompanied by additional insulin has been found to significantly decrease some of the long-term risks of diabetes: eye, kidney and nerve problems.

Type II Diabetes.
In contrast to the rarer type I diabetes, nine out of 10 people with diabetes have the type II form. Sometimes called NIDDM or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type II diabetes usually develops slowly and primarily affects people over 40. In type II diabetes, the body still produces some insulin, but either the insulin is not enough or the body does not respond to the hormone.

Experts don't know what causes type II diabetes. Sixty to 90 percent of the time, however, obesity and type II diabetes are both present. Even a weight gain of 15 to 23 pounds after age 30 doubled the risk for getting diabetes in a group of female nurses who participated in one long-term study. Nurses who lost as little as 11 pounds, on the other hand, cut their risk of getting the condition by half.

Type II diabetes also occurs more often with people over 65, a family history of diabetes and a sedentary lifestyle. A study of male physicians disclosed that exercising just once a week significantly reduced the doctors' risk of getting diabetes.