In today's world, the term "diabetes" has become increasingly prevalent. This chronic sickness affects how our bodies convert food into energy, which the human body needs to do daily tasks. Let's start with a diabetes definition.
The glucose/sugar we consume enters our bloodstream, where it is broken down by insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas), providing us with energy. However, our bodies are occasionally unable to make insulin, or if they do, it is insufficient, resulting in diabetes.
Type 1 and Type 2 are the two main categories of diabetes. When a person has Type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, causes the body to produce insulin, but it does not function properly. Type 2 diabetes affects 95 percent of people.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) figures, about half a billion people have diabetes, and nearly 1.5 million people died from it in 2019, making it one of the primary causes of mortality worldwide. The overall number of patients is expected to reach 700 million by 2045. Diabetes affects young adults and children in their adolescent years as well as the elderly and middle-aged. This, in and of itself, demonstrates how awful things have gotten.
Symptoms of diabetes include excessive urine, thirst, weight loss, fatigue, constant hunger, and vision loss. All these can occur suddenly.
But what's causing such a massive surge in the number of diabetic patients? According to WHO reports, Type 2 diabetes, is generally caused by increased body weight and a lack of physical exercise and is mostly found in children. In 2017, almost 9 million people suffering from Type 1 diabetes were residing in high-income countries. Sadly, neither its cause nor the means to prevent it are known.
Reportedly, children suffering from Type 2 diabetes have a history of diabetes in their family, other than being obese or physically inactive. Children of Hispanic, Asian-American, Native American, or Pacific Island origin are more prone to getting diabetic. The reason is the unhealthy food and lifestyle.
Whereas Type 1 diabetic patients only have the option of injecting insulin, Type 2 diabetic patients have other options. It is controllable with an appropriate diet and exercise. They should be encouraged to keep a healthy weight and engage in work-out. Oral drugs and eating a small number of healthful meals throughout the day can also assist.
But be it Type 1 or 2, a diabetic patient should always perform regular health check-ups, as diabetes is the no.1 cause of adult blindness, kidney failures, and lower-limb amputations. Also, the diet-in take should be kept in check.
Even though this disease has no such cure at present, we have the option to prevent it. Regular health check-ups, proper surveillance, and a healthy lifestyle are required to prevent diabetes.
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