Information on Diabetes

An estimated 18.2 million people in the United States have diabetes, a chronic condition in which the body cannot properly convert food into energy. It occurs when a person's body either does not make insulin or does not use it properly. This condition affects both men and women, and can occur in people of any age.

 

Common symptoms of diabetes include:

 

The condition is not contagious -- people cannot "catch" it from each other. Certain factors can increase the risk of developing it, however. For example, people who have a family history of the condition, are overweight, or are older are at a higher risk of developing diabetes.