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1. What is diabetes?

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. There are several types of diabetes.
- Type 1 diabetes: the body does not make insulin. Insulin helps the body use glucose from food for energy. People with type 1 need to take insulin every day.
- Type 2 diabetes: the body does not make or use insulin well. People with type 2 often need to take pills or insulin. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.
- Gestational diabetes: may occur when a woman is pregnant. Gestational diabetes raises her risk of getting another type of diabetes, mostly type 2, for the rest of her life. It also raises her child’s risk of being overweight and getting diabetes.

For more information, visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.

2. What is a Registered Dietitian?

A registered dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met academic and professional requirements including:
- Earned a bachelor’s degree with course work approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Coursework typically includes food and nutrition sciences, food service systems management, business, economics, computer science, sociology, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology and chemistry.
- Completed an accredited, supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency, or food service corporation.
- Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
- Completes continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration

Learn more by visiting the Eat Right website.

3. What is a Certified Diabetes Educator?

A Certified Diabetes Educator® (CDE®) is a medical/health care professional who possesses comprehensive knowledge of and experience in diabetes management, pre-diabetes, and diabetes prevention. A CDE® educates and supports people affected by diabetes to understand and manage the condition. A CDE® promotes self-management to achieve individualized behavioral and treatment goals that optimize health outcomes.

For more information, visit the Certified Diabetes Educator website.

4. What is Diabetes Self-Management Education?

Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is an interactive, collaborative process that can equip adults with basic knowledge to manage their type 2 diabetes while focusing on their self-identified problems and goals. It emphasizes problem solving and decision making as they relate to core diabetes self-care skills such as healthy eating, physical activity, proper dental care, and monitoring blood glucose level.

The goals of DSME are to improve metabolic control and quality of life, to reduce diabetes-related complications, and to minimize health care costs. Research has shown that community-based DSME is an effective intervention for improving glycemic control among adults of various racial and ethnic backgrounds with type 2 diabetes.

For more information, view the Diabetes Self-Management Education Guide (PDF)