Health hot line - diabetes and heart disease

Obesity is one of the major medical risk factors for diabetes in African-American women, who are 50 percent to 80 percent more likely to develop gestational diabetes than White women. African-Americans are twice as likely to have diabetes as White Americans of the same age and 27 percent more likely to die of the disease. Medical experts say about 2.8 million or 13 percent of African-Americans have diabetes.

Diabetes results from a defect in insulin production or processing, or both. People with diabetes can't make energy from food. Sugar remains in the blood instead of mixing in the body's cells, increasing the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and foot and eye problems.

The two major types of diabetes are Type 1, which is insulin dependent and usually affects children and teens. Most African-Americans have Type 2 diabetes, which usually develops after the age of 40.

Indications that a person might have diabetes include extreme hunger, excessive thirst, irritability, frequent urination, tingling in fingers and toes, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT OR DELAY TYPE 2 DIABETES

* Get tested for diabetes.

* Follow your doctor's advice.

* Get nutritional counseling.

* Choose balanced meals that are nonfat or low fat.

* Avoid eating large meals or snacks.

* Eat meals on a regular schedule.

* Keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.

* Have your blood pressure checked.

* Don't smoke.

* Exercise at least 30 minutes a day to help regulate your metabolism, lower blood glucose, reduce blood pressure and raise the "good" cholesterol level.

* Have your feet checked at least once a year.

* Learn as much as you can about diabetes.

* Share what you learned about diabetes with your family and friends so they can help you.

* Check out www.diabetes.org or call 1-800-342-2383.

HEART DISEASE

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of African-American women, who are 69 percent more likely to die of heart disease than White women and are less likely to have health insurance. It's estimated that 50 percent of African-American women are obese, and excessive weight is a risk factor that leads to heart disease.

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

Don't smoke. Smokers have more than twice the risk of having a heart attack than nonsmokers. Smokers die more often when they have a heart attack.

Adopt a diet that's low in cholesterol and saturated fat, and one with an increased number of vitamins, especially antioxidants.

Exercise daily.

Maintain a healthy weight to relieve the strain on your heart and decrease risk factors such as diabetes. Diabetes can lead to heart damage such as heart attacks and death, if not properly controlled.

Keep anger and stress under control.

Control high blood pressure or hypertension. More than 50 million Americans have the most common heart disease risk factor: hypertension. One in four adults has a blood pressure reading that is above 140/90.