How kidney disease and diabetes can put you at a higher risk for depression
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and the American Diabetes Association is reporting that people with diabetes have a higher rate of depression than the general population. Additionally, according to Davita Kidney Care, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease. They also report that 15% of El Pasoans have diabetes, which is higher than the national average. That's why this month is a great opportunity to be mindful and learn how diabetes and depression go hand in hand. The national institute of mental health says the typical signs of depression include: decreased energy, loss of interest in hobbies, having difficulty sleeping and concentrating and/or having thoughts of suicide.
Registered Nurse, Miguel Alvarez and facility administrator for DaVita Kidney says you should seek medical attention immediately if you notice the signs, "Diabetes can definitely affect mental health in the sense that this patients have to be going more frequently to the hospital, to the doctor, getting checkups, and if we do not control this chronic illness it can lead to end stage kidney disease." There's a lot of options for treating diabetes before it leads to kidney disease or depression and the sooner you seek help, the more effective the treatment can be.
Two recent studies are sounding the alarm about one of the fastest growing diseases in the U.S. The first one being the new CDC data that shows that 1 in 6 Americans has diabetes, that's up 10% from 2000. The second one been a study published in The Lancet, where it states that nearly three-quarters of Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity increases the likelihood of conditions like Type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.
According to Davita Kidney Care diabetes affects 2.8 million Texans and, in El Paso, the prevalence of diabetes is nearly 4% higher than national rates. They also state that uncontrolled diabetes is also the number one cause of kidney disease. Stating that because diabetes and kidney disease damage the body over many years, hundreds of thousands of Texans may have one of the conditions and not know it.
Furthermore, Davita Kidney Care reports that Native Americans, African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos are at greater risk for developing diabetes and kidney disease. With risk factors including: high blood pressure, being overweight or obese, and having a family history of diabetes or kidney failure. The symptoms of diabetes and kidney disease are vague and may include increased urination, thirst, blurry vision, fatigue, and numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, according to Davita Kidney Care.
It’s important to know your risk factors and to have your blood sugar and kidney function tested regularly. Treating kidney disease in the early stages can slow its progression and potentially prevent patients from developing kidney failure and needing a transplant or dialysis. In many cases, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease are preventable. Disease progression can be slowed and even stopped entirely through lifestyle changes like diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight. To find free kidney health resources and hundreds of diabetes and kidney-friendly recipes go to davita.com.
