According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes affects 34.2 million adults in the United States and 20 percent don’t even know they have it. A chronic disease that stems from not producing enough insulin or being unable to effectively use insulin, diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputations in the United States. Without a known cure for the disease, Endocrinology Physician Assistant Laura O’Hern at CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic knows it’s vital for everyone to understand diabetes and how it is diagnosed and treated.

“It inherently comes down to the body being unable to fully process sugar in the normal way,” O’Hern said. “If you’re in a room right now with any more than two other people, then the chances are that one of you has diabetes or pre-diabetes.”

Despite its prevalence, there are measures that can be taken to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. Maintaining a healthy body weight and diet, physical activity and avoiding the use of tobacco are just a few ways that you can limit your risk for diabetes. To learn more about the impact of diabetes and the wide range of services provided by the team of endocrinologists at CHI St. Vincent, visit chistvincent.com/endocrinology.