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Diabetes: Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use its insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.
Symptoms
Symptoms of diabetes may occur suddenly. In type 2 diabetes, the symptoms can be mild and may take many years to be noticed.
Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Feeling very thirsty
- Needing to urinate more often than usual
- Blurred vision
- Feeling tired
- Losing weight unintentionally
Over time, diabetes can damage blood vessels in the heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
People with diabetes have a higher risk of health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
Diabetes can cause permanent vision loss by damaging blood vessels in the eyes.
Many people with diabetes develop problems with their feet from nerve damage and poor blood flow. This can cause foot ulcers and may lead to amputation.
Types
Type 1 diabetes(previously called insulin-dependent, juvenile, or childhood-onset) is marked by a lack of insulin production, requiring daily insulin injections. In 2017, about 9 million people worldwide had this condition, mainly in high-income countries. Its cause and ways to prevent it are not yet understood.
Type 2 diabetesimpacts how the body uses sugar (glucose) for energy. It occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels if unmanaged.
Over time, type 2 diabetes can cause serious harm to nerves and blood vessels. It is often preventable, with risk factors including excess weight, insufficient physical activity, and genetics.
Early detection is crucial to avoid severe complications. Regular check-ups and blood tests are the best means of early diagnosis.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes may be subtle and develop over years, sometimes resembling those of type 1 but usually less obvious. Consequently, diagnosis often occurs after complications have already developed.
More than 95% of all diabetes cases are of the type 2 variety. It was formerly known as non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes. Although once mainly a condition of adults, its incidence in children is increasing.
Gestational diabetesis a form of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) that occurs during pregnancy, with blood glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
Women with gestational diabetes face a higher risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. They and potentially their children are also at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made through screening during pregnancy, rather than based on symptoms.
Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)andimpaired fasting glycemia (IFG)are intermediate states between normal blood sugar levels and diabetes. People with IGT or IFG are at a significant risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but this progression is not certain.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for diabetes vary depending on the type.
- A family history can influence the risk across all types.
- Environmental factors and geographic location may also contribute specifically to the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
- In some cases, family members of individuals with type 1 diabetes are tested for the presence of immune system cells called autoantibodies. If these autoantibodies are present, the person has a higher chance of developing type 1 diabetes, although not everyone with autoantibodies will necessarily develop the condition.
- Race or ethnicity can also influence the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Although the reasons aren’t fully understood, higher risks are observed among Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian American populations.
- Being overweight or obese increases the risk of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Preventions
Making lifestyle changes is the most effective way to prevent or postpone the development of type 2 diabetes.
To help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and its complications, individuals should:
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week
- Follow a nutritious diet, limiting sugar and saturated fats
- Avoid smoking tobacco
