With November being National Diabetes Month, UD students are raising awareness on the issue.

Addressing the growing problem of diabetes in the U.S., Dr. Janine Baer of the dietetics department believes the "real cause of the epidemic of diabetes in the United States is increasing body fat weight."

Fat leads to insulin resistance. This insulin resistance causes blood glucose to stay in the bloodstream at higher levels instead of going into the necessary cells. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy.

The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is extremely important to recognize. Type 1 Diabetes is a disease of insulin deficiency, Baer said. Usually lean people under the age of 30 who experience excessive thirst, frequent urination and significant weight loss may be affected with Type 1. These affected persons are dependent on insulin injections (exogenous insulin), or insulin pumps to maintain the necessary balance of insulin.

In Type 2 diabetes, obesity is a major risk factor because either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease of hyperglycemia resulting from a combination of insulin resistance accompanied with B-cell failure of the pancreas.

"When the body increases in size, and you get fatter and fatter, you become more and more resistant to insulin, and you no longer respond to insulin in a normal way. People's pancreases are limited; they can't keep putting out more and more insulin in order to overcome the obesity-caused resistance," Baer said.

Sarah Picklo, a junior dietetics major diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 9, recalls how scary it was as a child to receive a diagnosis of diabetes. She remembers being afraid of spending more time in the hospital and receiving an unknown diagnosis with a prefix of "die."

"I remember I was very sick, but, as I look back at it, I realize that it happened at a good time. It was a blessing. I don't remember daily life without diabetes at such a young age, so if I had been diagnosed later, I would've missed the way things were because I would have been able to remember," she said.

As a child, Picklo aspired to be a ballerina or a dolphin trainer someday. Upon receiving her diagnosis, however, her interest in dietetics skyrocketed.

"I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be a dietician," she said. "There are tons of nutritional concerns related to diabetes, and it's motivating to see that a change in diet can be such a viable treatment for patients."

Picklo now aspires to help others to better understand diabetes. One of the biggest obstacles is the ability to understand the differences between the two types.

"It is hugely important to promote the differences between Type 1 and Type 2; they are two completely different diseases and are treated very differently. It can get confusing," Picklo said.

Picklo used the insulin pump to regulate her blood sugar level but it became more of a hassle.

"I had to stop [wearing it] because I started playing volleyball, and [the pump] became an issue," she said. "It's the size of a cell phone, with a chord connected to a catheter."

Since her sophomore year of high school, she has been off the pump, yet is considering going back to it because a patient on a pump is much more stable.

"It works like an artificial pancreas," she said.

Baer suggests that if students avoid being overweight (BMI greater or equal to 25) and physical inactivity, this disease is highly prevented. While some, in the case of Picklo, couldn't have prevented this diagnosis, keeping weight in check and being physically active can help prevent most cases of the disease. Especially in disassociating oneself with Type 2, "choosing a diet rich in whole grains instead of refined sugar and consuming healthy fats (olive oil, canola oil) adds even more protection," Baer said.