The survey asks questions on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, cancer screening, physical activity, medical checkups, age and dietary habits. Sometimes this happens because the body doesn't make enough insulin or the body's cells simply stop responding to the insulin. Gestational diabetes happens when pregnant women have high blood sugar levels. They're more busy. And when they eat, they don't eat at home, they're sometimes eating in fast food establishments and restaurants, where the food is high in fat content and calories.
Researchers are unsure why being overweight can lead to diabetes.
And it's not just in industrialized nations. It's estimated in Arabic countries that 15 percent of the population has diabetes and in India, their estimates are that 10 percent of their population has the disease. Mokdad says Americans have to lose weight. What we recommend is increasing dietary intake of fruit and vegetables. To learn more about diet, physical activity and diabetes, check out the nutrition and exercise information provided by the American Diabetes Association.