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Diabetes is a chronic disease that effects almost sixteen million Americans. This disease results in the body being unable to produce enough insulin or to be unable to use the insulin that is produced (Lorig, 1994). Diabetes is divided into tow main types, type 1 and type 2, with the exact cause for each being unknown. Type 1 diabetes, which usually begins in childhood, is thought to be an autoimmune disease that destroys the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin (Lorig, 1994). Type 2 diabetes is a complex disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels (Kendall & Bergenstal, 2001). Type 2 accounts for approximately 90% of diabetes cases, and its symptoms include lowered insulin secretion and an increased resistance to the action of insulin, causing hyperglycemia and other metabolic disturbances (Umpierrez & Kitabchi, 2001).
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