Please see the disclaimer.		Be Informed. Stay Healthy. The mission of Diabetes Support & Education is to develop resources, within or organization of students and faculty, to make information available and useful to the UofM community; to sustain and preserve support and education to diabetics and those interested within our community. More Info on Diabetes What is Diabetes? Chronic disease in which body does not make or properly use insulin. As a result, the blood sugar (glucose) is higher than normal. This is diabetes -- unfortunately high glucose levels bring about both short-term and long-term problems. Type I Diabetes Insulin dependent, usually juvenile onset. Type II Diabetes Non-insulin dependent, usually mature onset. What Causes Diabetes? Type I-- destruction of body's insulin producing cells (aka islet cells). Type II-- heredity, weight, age; they make insulin but are unable to use it properly Why be concerned about Diabetes? 16 million Americans (6% of the population) have Diabetes, and only 8 million know. It's the 4th leading cause of death by disease in the U.S.