DIABETES By the numbers

Several hundred people took part in Saturday’s Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes event at the Canfield Fairgrounds to raise money to help prevent and cure diabetes, which is the seventh leading disease in the country. Some facts:

Nearly 23.6 million people in the U.S. suffer from the disease.

An additional 54 million to 57 million have pre-diabetes, placing them at greater risk for getting Type 2 diabetes.

Complications from diabetes kill more than 284,000 people annually, a figure greater than that of breast cancer and AIDS combined.

Close to 21 percent of Americans over 60 have the disease.

Just under 1 in 3 children born in 2000 will likely develop diabetes in their lifetime.

Causes are unknown, but warning signs for Type 1 include frequent urination, excessive hunger and thirst, dramatic weight loss and weakness and fatigue.

Type 2 signs include any Type 1 symptoms, as well as recurring skin, gum or bladder infections that heal slowly; tingling or numbness in the hands or feet; drowsiness; and blurred vision.

Ways to delay or prevent Type 2 include regular physical activity such as walking for 30 minutes daily, eating smaller meals lower in fat, and weight loss.

Source: American Diabetes Association