Know the risks for diabetes and steps to prevent it
Posted by Medavie Blue Cross on November 1, 2023
Know the risks for diabetes and steps to prevent it
Posted by Medavie Blue Cross on November 1, 2023
Eleven million Canadians — that’s about one in three adults — are living with diabetes or prediabetes. Chances are diabetes affects you or someone you know.
Diabetes is a disease in which your body can't produce insulin or properly use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas, which regulates the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Blood sugar must be carefully regulated to ensure that the body functions properly. Too much blood sugar can cause damage to organs, blood vessels, and nerves. Your body also needs insulin in order to use sugar for energy.
Types of diabetes
There are three main types of diabetes:
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, also called non-insulin dependent, is the most common form, accounting for 90 to 95% of all diabetes in Canada. More than half of all cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by making healthy lifestyle choices, e.g., eating a balanced diet, increasing physical activity and losing excess weight. People with type 2 diabetes typically do not use insulin to manage their glucose.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (also called insulin-dependant diabetes) accounts for 5 to 10% of all cases of diabetes in Canada. People with type 1 diabetes need to test their blood glucose multiple times a day and inject insulin to survive. It is not preventable and there is no cure.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition affecting about 4% of all pregnancies, which increases the risk of future diabetes for both mother and baby. Although it generally resolves when the baby is born, it is more likely that both the mother and baby will develop diabetes in the future.
Did You Know?
Prediabetes refers to blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Almost 6 million Canadians have prediabetes. Most don’t even know it.
Diabetes symptoms
You can have type 2 diabetes without any obvious warning signs or symptoms. Classic symptoms of type 2 and type 1 diabetes include:
- unusual thirst
- frequent urination
- weight change (gain or loss)
- extreme fatigue or lack of energy
- blurred vision
It's important to know the risk factors and get checked.
Risk factors
Some diabetes risk factors can be managed or reduced, while others may be beyond your control.
- Males are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
- As you get older, your risk of developing diabetes goes up.
- Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes.
Other risk factors include:
- physical inactivity
- having a family history of diabetes
- having high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol
- belonging to certain high-risk ethnic populations (e.g., Aboriginal, African, Hispanic, Asian)
If you think you might be at risk for developing diabetes, don't ignore the risk factors. The sooner you receive a diagnosis, the quicker you can take the steps necessary to maintain your well-being — now and in the future.
Risk factors
Some diabetes risk factors can be managed or reduced, while others may be beyond your control.
- Males are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
- As you get older, your risk of developing diabetes goes up.
- Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes.
Other risk factors include:
- physical inactivity
- having a family history of diabetes
- having high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol
- belonging to certain high-risk ethnic populations (e.g., Aboriginal, African, Hispanic, Asian)
If you think you might be at risk for developing diabetes, don't ignore the risk factors. The sooner you receive a diagnosis, the quicker you can take the steps necessary to maintain your well-being — now and in the future.
What you can do
Take the test
Want to know if you are at risk? Fill out the Canadian diabetes risk questionnaire.
Everyone over the age of 40 should be tested for diabetes every three years.
If you have one or more risk factors, you should be tested earlier and more frequently.
Health coaching and education
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, we can connect you with a health professional in your community to help you gain the knowledge and confidence to self-manage your condition.
If you’re a member of a Medavie Blue Cross-insured plan, you may have access to a suite of tools to help you take charge of your health.
Our 360 Total Care program includes:
- Access to a glucose monitoring tool
- Home-delivered test strips
- One-on-one counselling
- Education services from a health coach team guide — in person, by phone or video chat
This program can help you manage diabetes and other chronic conditions such as hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol.
Our Managing Chronic Disease benefit also provides coverage for personalized health coaching and disease management education. The services of a certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) are available without a doctor's referral.
Reduce your risk
If left unmanaged, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By managing your blood sugar, you can change your future to one free of type 2 diabetes. These include:
- Following a healthy diet (see Canada's Food Guide)
- Exercising regularly (start slowly and increase to 150 minutes per week)
- Losing weight (losing five to 10 per cent of your total weight is all you need to make a huge difference)
- Taking steps now to improve your lifestyle can lead to a healthier future.
Taking steps now to improve your lifestyle can lead to a healthier future.
Reduce your risk
If left unmanaged, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By managing your blood sugar, you can change your future to one free of type 2 diabetes. These include:
- Following a healthy diet (see Canada's Food Guide)
- Exercising regularly (start slowly and increase to 150 minutes per week)
- Losing weight (losing five to 10 per cent of your total weight is all you need to make a huge difference)
- Taking steps now to improve your lifestyle can lead to a healthier future.
Taking steps now to improve your lifestyle can lead to a healthier future.
Are you a member of a Medavie Blue Cross-insured plan?
Check to see if your plan includes 360 Total Care or Managing Chronic Disease benefit. Search for benefit details using our Blue Cross Mobile App or our Member Services Site.
Connect with a Health Professional
Find a certified diabetes educator near you to set and achieve goals for your blood sugar and minimize complications.
Blue Cross Mobile App
Our mobile app is designed to help you manage your benefits on the go. Submit a claim, search coverage, find a health provider near you, manage your medications and more.
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Medavie Blue Cross is a premier all-in-one carrier that provides health, dental, travel, life and disability benefits and administers federal and provincial government-sponsored health programs. Together with Medavie Health Services, we are part of Medavie, a health solutions partner committed to improving the wellbeing of Canadians. We are in the...