Over 5 million Americans are walking around with a disease that is slowly killing them, and they have no idea they have it. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in America, contributing to 187,000 deaths in 1995, according to the American Diabetes Association. It is a disease that has no cure. If the University of Hawai'i is on average with the rest of the nation, over 400 students could have diabetes. However, having the disease does not mean you need give up hope, she said.
Many people go on to live very normal lives after being diagnosed with it.
The main method of controlling diabetes is through a regimented diet. This includes a diet of 60 percent complex carbohydrates and about 50 grams of fiber a day, from sources such as beans and high-fiber cereals. Ninety percent of incidents of diabetes come in the type II category, which can occur in adults age 20 to 70. Type II diabetes can be caused by genetic reasons or life-style. Asians, Hispanics, African Americans and Native Hawaiians are also more at risk, said Brown.