Top Celebrities Living With Diabetes

Diabetes does not know if you're rich or poor, famous or not. In fact, millions of worldly humans have diabetes.

Many celebrities who have the disease are using their fame to bring attention to diabetes. That’s important.

Early diagnosis and treatment go a long way toward preventing diabetes complications. Here are some famous people who haven’t let diabetes stop them from living life to the fullest.Here are top celebrities battling with diabetes

Tom Hanks

In 2013, movie superstar Tom Hanks told the public he has type 2 diabetes. Hanks said he'd had high blood sugar for years before finally getting the diagnosis. Up to 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. This type is more common among those older than 45. With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or your insulin doesn’t work like it should. Sometimes, you can control type 2 diabetes with diet, exercise, and weight loss. Most people eventually need to take medication or use insulin.

Mary Tyler Moore

You probably know Mary Tyler Moore from her comedic roles in the classic TV hits, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show. What you might not know is that she's lived with type 1 diabetes since her 30s. In type 1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin. So Moore must take insulin to control her blood sugar. Mary Tyler Moore serves as the International Chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Nick Jonas

Nick Jonas was part of the now-disbanded teen pop trio, The Jonas Brothers. Now in his 20s, he's working on a feature film and a TV show. He was only 13 when he learned he had type 1 diabetes. Since then, he's tried to set an example for other young people with the disease. This includes starting a nonprofit group that promotes awareness. Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes. That's because it occurs most often in younger people. In fact, it affects more than 200,000 Americans under age 20.

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams was the first black woman to be crowned Miss America. She went on to be a successful singer, actor and author. She also has type 1 diabetes. African Americans have higher-than-average rates of diabetes. Black Americans also are more likely to have complications from diabetes. There's nothing you can do to prevent type 1 diabetes. But, you can take steps to avoid type 2 diabetes and its problems. Start by watching what you eat, being active, and keeping a healthy weight.

Mariah Carey

Doctors told singer-songwriter Mariah Carey that she had gestational diabetes in 2011. She was pregnant at the time with twins. In the United States, about 3 to 5% of all pregnant women have gestational diabetes. Doctors use a glucose tolerance test to check for the disease. After delivery, blood sugar levels usually return to normal. However, having gestational diabetes is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. It raises your risk of developing it within the next 10 to 20 years by up to 60%.

Larry King

Famous for his radio and TV talk shows, Larry King now in his 80s had already had a heart attack and bypass surgery when he developed type 2 diabetes. He'd already changed his lifestyle. He gave up smoking, he ate better, and he exercised. However, there are other risk factors. These can include family history, being overweight, and having high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Blood tests can show if you have diabetes or are at risk.

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Jay Cutler

Even professional athletes can have diabetes. Take Jay Cutler the Chicago Bears quarterback. He knew something was wrong a few years ago when he lost more than 30 pounds in a couple of months and felt sluggish. He was 25 when he announced his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes accounts for just 5% of all diabetes cases. Common symptoms include fatigue, unexplained weight loss, thirst, and weakness. Cutler has been able to continue playing football by keeping his blood sugar under control.