Preventing and controlling diabetes

Diabetes is one of the nation’s most common and costly health issues.

More than 38 million Americans – about 1 in 9 – have some form of diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. exceeded $412 billion in 2022, accounting for 1 in 4 health care dollars spent. Average medical expenses of people with diabetes are nearly $20,000 a year, about 2.6 times higher than those without diabetes.

To effectively prevent or mitigate diabetes, it’s important to understand what causes it.

Causes and types of diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. Your pancreas makes insulin, which helps your body use this blood sugar as energy or store it for future use. If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it properly. This results in high blood sugar, which can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction where the body attacks itself by mistake, stopping your body from making insulin. It’s usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults, and affects about five percent of all diabetes patients.

Type 2 diabetes

Your body doesn’t use insulin well and can’t maintain normal blood sugar levels. It develops over time and is usually diagnosed in adults, though increasingly in children, teens, and young adults. Most people with diabetes have this type.

Gestational diabetes

Develops in pregnant women who have never had diabetes. It can increase the risk of complications for both the mother and the baby.

Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It increases your risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. More than a third of Americans have prediabetes, but 8 in 10 adults don’t know they have it.

Diabetes symptoms and warning signs

Common symptoms and warning signs of diabetes include:

• Blurred vision.
• Sweet or fruity-smelling breath.
• Darkening of skin at body creases (acanthosis nigricans).
• Excessive thirst and hunger.
• Fatigue.
• Frequent urination.
• Irritability.
• Nausea.
• Skin infections and slow-healing wounds.
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.
• Weight loss or gain.

How Capital can help prevent or manage diabetes

If you have diabetes or risk factors for it, consulting with your doctor is the best first step. Your healthcare provider can monitor your diabetes – and your overall health – with various tests and exams.

Capital Blue Cross offers a broad range of proven diabetes management resources and support to help get diabetes under control and encourage healthier lifestyle choices that can prevent type 2 diabetes. Capital members using our diabetes programs have:

• Lost more than 66,000 pounds since the programs started in 2021.
• Averaged a roughly 46% reduction in prescription medications in their first year using our diabetes reversal strategy.
• Dropped their A1c levels about one full point on average over their first year in the program. Higher A1c levels are linked to diabetes complications.
• Saved money. In 2023, for instance, the diabetes reversal program saved the average engaged member more than $2,000, while the diabetes control program saved nearly $1,200.

To find out what diabetes programs you may be eligible for, check out Capital’s diabetes resources. If you or a loved one need help managing diabetes, call our care management team at 888.545.4512. They can answer your questions and help you manage your testing, medications, appointments, and other needs.