The Canadian Diabetes Association says by 2014 more than 3.5 million Canadians will be living with diabetes. A significant percentage of whom could have prevented this from happening by being more disciplined with eating and exercise habits.

To say diabetes is an epidemic would be an understatement.

Type 1 diabetes, usually diagnosed in children and adolescents, occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. Approximately 10 per cent of people with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes.

The remaining 90 per cent have Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body does not effectively use the insulin that is produced. Type 2 diabetes usually develops in adulthood, although increasing numbers of children in high-risk populations are being diagnosed.

A third type of diabetes, gestational diabetes, is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. It affects approximately two to four per cent of all pregnancies and involves an increased risk of developing diabetes for both mother and child.

The focus here is Type 2 diabetes. If left untreated or improperly managed, diabetes can result in complications, including heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease, problems with erection (impotence) in men and nerve damage.

At the end of the day, Type 2 diabetes can normally be prevented by improved eating habits and increasing physical activity. Medication is often needed to manage this disease, but these lifestyle changes are always at the top of the list.

In my experience, diabetics are some of the most difficult people to convince to make the needed changes to essentially save their lives.

People are dying of this disease every day. It is estimated the cost of diabetes to our health care system will reach $16.9 billion by 2020.

The increased prevalence of diabetes in our society is a direct consequence of the increase in obesity rates and unhealthy lifestyle decisions.

Diabetes should not be taken lightly by anyone. If your doctor has recently expressed concern, then take action. If you have not seen a doctor recently, make an appointment, especially if you have gained weight the past few years. A simple test will tell the doctor if you are at risk of diabetes.

For the vast majority of those at risk, the key is prevention. While medication will control it, medication is not the cure.

Contact the Canadian Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.ca.