Our right to a healthy future
This year’s theme of World Diabetes Day is Family and diabetes. The campaign highlights the effect diabetes can have on families and households around the world. It aims to raise awareness regarding the impact the condition can have, and also promote the importance of the family when it comes to diabetes prevention, care, education, and management.3
About diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that affects how the body produces insulin. There are three main kinds:
Type 1 diabetes – An autoimmune condition that attacks insulin-producing cells. This stops insulin production, which prevents glucose being transported from the blood into cells. This in turn keeps blood glucose levels high.4
Type 2 diabetes – A condition that occurs when the insulin produced by the body doesn’t work properly, leading to elevated blood glucose levels. More insulin is thus released, and in some cases, the pancreas tires out, leading to reduced insulin production.5 Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 develops over time. Family history, ethnicity, lack of physical activity, and being overweight can be contributing factors.6
Gestational diabetes – This type of diabetes only affects pregnant women, typically during their second or third trimester. Gestational diabetes is not contingent on having any type of diabetes prior to pregnancy, and it usually goes away after giving birth. It can occur in more than one pregnancy. Managing the condition well helps increase the chances of having both a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.7
Some of the more common symptoms of diabetes are: frequent urination, persistent thirst, fatigue, unexpected weight loss, delayed wound healing, genital itching or thrush, and blurred vision.8
But there is more to it
Because of the nature of diabetes, this condition can affect the body in many other ways, both in the short term and in the long term. Short-term complications are hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia (high and low blood sugar). Long-term complications include retinopathy (affecting the eyes), cardiovascular disease (affecting the heart), nephropathy (affecting the kidneys), and neuropathy (affecting the nerves and feet).9
What can you do?
As type 1 diabetes is not affected by lifestyle, there are no actions that can prevent it. In the case of type 2 diabetes, however, about three out of five cases can be prevented by adopting a healthier lifestyle. A balanced diet high in fruit, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates, while low in sugar and fat, is vital.10 Other factors include moving more, attaining a health weight, and sleeping well.11 Prevention is crucial if you are at risk, or if you have been diagnosed as prediabetic.11
Regardless of your risk of diabetes, it’s always a good idea to make changes toward a healthier lifestyle. Your future self will thank you for it!
Source:
1. About WDD. World Diabetes Day website. https://worlddiabetesday.org/about/. Accessed October 04, 2018.
2. IDF Diabetes Atlas. http://www.diabetesatlas.org/. Accessed October 04, 2018.
3. World Diabetes Day 2018-2019. World Diabetes Day website. https://worlddiabetesday.org/about/. Accessed October 04, 2018.
4. What is Type 1 diabetes? Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/what-is-type-1-diabetes. Accessed October 04, 2018.
5. What is Type 2 diabetes? Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/what-is-type-2-diabetes. Accessed October 04, 2018.
6. What is type 2 diabetes? NHS website. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-2-diabetes/. Accessed October 04, 2018.
7. Gestational diabetes. Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Diabetes-the-basics/Gestational-diabetes/. Accessed October 04, 2018.
8. What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes? Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/diabetes-symptoms. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/diabetes-symptoms. Accessed October 04, 2018.
9. Diabetes complications. Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications. Accessed October 04, 2018.
10. What is a healthy, balanced diet for diabetes? Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Enjoy-food/Eating-with-diabetes/What-is-a-healthy-balanced-diet. Accessed October 04, 2018.
11. Preventing Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Preventing-Type-2-diabetes. Accessed October 04, 2018.
12. IDF Diabetes Atlas. http://www.diabetesatlas.org/. Accessed October 04, 2018.
13. What is Type 1 diabetes? Diabetes UK website. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/what-is-type-1-diabetes. Accessed October 04, 2018.
