Learning Center

Diabetes 101 Alternate Site Testing Nutrition Tips Exercise and Diabetes Diabetes and Your Health Diabetes Facts Diabetes Tips Diabetes Glossary

Request FREE Info

Newsletter Signup

Want the best of DCC Connect delivered right to your inbox? Sign up below to receive our monthly newsletter!

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Most of the food we eat is converted into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy and growth. The pancreas, an organ near your stomach, creates a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in your blood.

Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and lower-extremity amputations. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability, impacting approximately 7% of the U.S. population.

Related Topics

• What are the types of diabetes?
• What are the symptoms of diabetes?
• What is pre-diabetes?
• Who gets diabetes?
• Will my diabetes ever go away?
• Why should I self test?
• What is high blood sugar?
• What is low blood sugar?
• What are the risk factors for diabetes?
• What is the treatment for diabetes?