Newswise — Diabetes is a condition that prevents the body from properly regulating sugar levels in the blood. Insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas, helps regulate your sugar levels by allowing sugar to leave the bloodstream and go into your cells. Diabetes occurs either when your body makes too little insulin, becomes resistant to the insulin, or both. This causes sugar to build up in the bloodstream, which can in turn cause headaches, frequent urination, increased appetite and thirst, fatigue, blurred vision and dry mouth. While diabetes is a serious condition, it can be managed with monitoring, medication, and diet and lifestyle changes.
There are several misconceptions surrounding diabetes, such as diabetes is caused by eating too much sugar or only overweight or obese people get diabetes. The facts about diabetes are much more nuanced than these myths suggest.
According to the CDC, 28.7 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes, either type 1 (an autoimmune disease), type 2 (a metabolic disorder) or gestational diabetes (which develops during pregnancy). Of these, 283,000 are children or adolescents under the age of 20. Another 96 million Americans, or 1 in 3, have prediabetes, a condition in which the blood sugar level is elevated but not to a degree that constitutes diabetes.
With so many people in the U.S. at risk of developing diabetes, it is critical for the general public to understand that they can take action to prevent it, such as being more active and making small changes in their diet. Diabetes experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine are available to be interviewed throughout November about this important topic and to clear up common misconceptions surrounding this condition.
Adult Diabetes Experts
Media Contact: Maura Kinney, Communications Specialist, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 443-287-2243, [email protected]
Gene Arnold, M.S., R.D./L.D./C.D.E.
- Diabetes Self-Management Training Program Director, Johns Hopkins Medicine
- Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, Johns Hopkins Diabetes Center
- Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center
- Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Associate Program Director, Endocrinology Fellowship
- Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Director, Johns Hopkins Diabetes Center
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Editor-in-Chief, Johns Hopkins Diabetes Guide
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Nestoras Mathioudakis, M.D., M.H.S.
- Co-Medical Director of Johns Hopkins Medicine Diabetes Prevention & Education Program
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Mihail Zilbermint, M.D., M.B.A.
- Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Suburban Hospital
- Director, Endocrine Hospitalists, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
- Co-Director, Diabetes Self-Management Training Program, National Capital Region
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Pediatric Diabetes Experts
Media Contact: Kim Polyniak, Communications Manager, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, 443-510-5807, [email protected]
- Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Clinical Co-Director, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Sheela N. Magge, M.D., M.S.C.E.
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Director, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
- Clinical Associate of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Pediatric Endocrinologist, Bethesda Health Care and Surgery Center and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Director, Pediatric Diabetes Center, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
- Medical Director, Camp Charm City Diabetes (Johns Hopkins Children’s Center-ADA led camp for children with diabetes)
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