Nearly 16 million people in the United States--nearly one out of every 17 people--have diabetes. And about 1,800 new cases are diagnosed each day.

Nearly 16 million people in the United States--nearly one out of every 17 people--have diabetes. And about 1,800 new cases are diagnosed each day. Technically, this disease is known as "diabetes mellitus," diabetes from the Greek for excessive urination, a symptom the ancients noticed, and mellitus, from the Latin for honey--diabetic urine is filled with sugar and is sweet. There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. All of them are a little different. But …

…diabetes, your child's risk is about 1 in 2. People with certain rare types of type 2 diabetes have different risks. If you have the rare form called maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), your child has almost a 1-in-2 chance of getting it, too. Bibliography Latest Diabetes News and Information. NetHealth Inc. 1998 <http://www.diabetes.com/>. American Diabetes Association. American Diabetes Association. 1998 <http://www.diabetes.org/>. ?Diabetes Mellitus? Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia. Vers. 96. 1993-1995.