Diabetes is a serious problem within the African American Society
             Today, diabetes is one of the most severe health problems facing the United States, especially within the African American society. There are over 2.8 million African American people within the United States that are affected by this disease. Though a healthy diet and regular exercise could dramatically lower African Americans chances of getting type two diabetes, genetics is an important factor when looking at why this disease targets more African American people. Diabetes also causes more strenuous and complex complications, dealing with African American people. Diabetes is one of the major causes of death within the black community and is a major health concern throughout the United States.
             Diabetes is a group of chronic metabolic diseases that is characterized by high blood glucose levels and defects within the body. Glucose levels rise within the body as a result of defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. Insulin is used to convert sugars, starches, and other foods into energy, instead of fatty acids. Without the insulin, cells aren't able to take the necessary amount of glucose from the blood. The cells then starve though there is plenty of glucose available in the blood, it just can't be reached. This is why high levels of blood glucose distinguish the disease. The majority of African Americans, between 90 and 95 percent, have type two diabetes. Type two diabetes usually evolves in adults and is caused when the body struggles against the action of insulin. A substantially smaller amount of African Americans along with the total population, have the more unusual type one diabetes. Only about 5 to 10 percent of the African American with diabetes has type one diabetes. Type one diabetes usually develops before the age of 20, as to where the more common, type two diabetes is developed in adulthood.
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