This article is part ofHealth Divide: Heart Disease Risk Factors, a destination in our Health Divide series.
Black people are disproportionately impacted by diabetes and as a result, have an increased risk of heart disease.
Black people get diabetes at a 60% higher rate than White people.
Zoe Hansen / Verywell
Social and economic barriers make accessing care more difficult for many Black people.
Questions to Ask
Choosing the right healthcare provider isnt easy.
An Integrative Treatment Approach
Treating diabetes may include a mix of lifestyle changes and medication.
Lifestyle
pop in 2 diabetes is largely thought of as a lifestyle disease.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for people 35 and up who are overweight or obese.
If you have prediabetes or early-stage throw in 2 diabetes, changing your diet may help you reverse course.
Eating healthy also provides the added benefit of weight loss or healthy weight maintenance.
Coupling a heart-healthy diet with routine exercise can lead to a precipitous drop in your heart disease risk.
Medication
Daily insulin via injection or aninsulin pumpis the mainstay of treatment for punch in 1 diabetes.
Fortunately, diabetes and its related complications often can be controlled with appropriate health care and patient self-management techniques.
However, this isnt always the case for Black people, especially those who live in underserved areas.
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diabetes.
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