Diabetes is a common medical condition in which insulin (a hormone that helps the body deliver glucose, or sugar, into cells to provide energy) is either not produced or is not used effectively by the body.
Type 1 diabetes (sometimes referred to as juvenile diabetes) is the type of diabetes where not enough insulin is produced to regulate the amount of sugar in the body. Type 2 diabetes – the most common type of diabetes – occurs when insulin is not used properly by the body.
Because of these abnormalities seen in diabetes, sugar levels build up in the body and can lead to serious problems such as vascular disease, heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, and even death.
Unfortunately, the prevalence of diabetes in the country has been steadily increasing. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 20 million people suffer from diabetes, and of these, about 6 million don't even know that they have diabetes. Each year, approximately one million new people are diagnosed with diabetes.
Some researchers believe that this increase is directly related to the increasing incidence of obesity and lack of physical activity seen in our population.
What Causes Diabetes?
The exact cause of diabetes is not known, but it can be passed down through families as an inherited condition. Type 2 diabetes might be caused by being overweight or by obesity and by a lack of exercise. The incidence of type 2 diabetes increases after age 40.
Anyone can develop diabetes, but diabetes is more common among certain races and ethnic populations, including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Pregnant women might also develop diabetes at a more frequent rate than the rest of the population.
There are other less common causes of diabetes, such as medications that might cause diabetes as a side effect.
Prevention
Research is ongoing in the area of diabetes prevention. But what we do know according to the Joslin Diabetes Center is that maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular exercise might prevent more than 50 percent of the cases of type 2 diabetes. Certain medications can also help to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Although more research is still needed, there is promising research that might help us understand how type 1 diabetes could be prevented.
Treatment for diabetes includes lifestyle behavior changes, such as improved nutritional habits, increased physical exercise, weight loss and a weight management plan, oral medications, and/or insulin injections. Treatment might include one or all of these.
It is important to have regular check-ups with your doctor to stay in good health. But if you are experiencing symptoms such as increased thirst, increased urination, blurry vision, weight loss, or dizziness, it is especially important that you see your doctor and be screened for diabetes. Diabetes that is untreated can lead to serious medical problems and complications. |
