Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism -- the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body.

After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by cells for growth and energy. For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach.

When we eat, the pancreas is supposed to automatically produce the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into our cells. In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body. Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose.

The good news for the 20 percent of people over the age of 65 that have diabetes is that it can be managed. We now know that controlling blood glucose levels can reduce the long-term complications posed by this chronic disease.

These links offer up-to-date, helpful information on understanding diabetes--its symptoms, causes, and types--and ways in which people can take action to prevent or manage it.

Links to diabetes information:

• Diabetes Prevention & Management, Department of Community Health
• Centers For Disease Control, Basics About Diabetes
• National Institutes of Health, Diabetes Defined
• WebMD Diabetes Health Center
• University of Illinois Extension, Your Guide to Diet and Diabetes
• American Heart Association, The Heart of Diabetes
• The American Association of Diabetes Educators shares helpful links to sites containing general information on diabetes.
• Diabetes Health, An online magazine of diabetes information.