Every tenth American has diabetes: what is this disease and how to prevent it

Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that kills over a million people every year, and anyone can get it. How can diabetes be avoided, the newspaper said with the BBC.

Diabetes occurs when our bodies cannot keep up with blood sugar (glucose) levels. The blood becomes thick and can subsequently lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and gangrene of the lower extremities.

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), today there are about 420 million people with diabetes in the world. This is almost four times more than 40 years ago.

However, despite the serious threat that diabetes poses to health, half of diabetics are not even aware of their illness.

Diabetes in the USA

According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics, 34,2 million Americans - just over 1 in 10 - have diabetes. 88 million American adults - about one in three - have a pre-diabetes condition.

Still, the number of new cases dropped significantly from 2008 to 2018.

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The percentage of existing cases was highest among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Of those affected, 15% smoked, 89% were overweight and 38% were inactive. 37% have chronic kidney disease.

The number of newly diagnosed cases of type 1 and 2 diabetes has increased significantly among US youth.

Between the ages of 10 and 19, the incidence of type 2 diabetes remained stable among whites and increased among all others, especially blacks.

The percentage of adults with pre-diabetes who knew they had the condition doubled between 2005 and 2016, but most are still unaware.

More and more people develop type 1 and type 2 diabetes in their youth, and racial and ethnic minorities develop type 2 diabetes at a faster rate. Likewise, the proportion of older people is increasing, and older people are more likely to have chronic diseases such as diabetes.

At the same time, in order to avoid diabetes mellitus, it is often enough to simply change your habits and adjust your lifestyle.

Here's how to do it.

Diabetes causes

When a person eats, his body converts the carbohydrates contained in the food into sugar (glucose). For its assimilation, insulin is responsible - a hormone of the pancreas, which gives the cells a signal to absorb glucose dissolved in the blood and use it as a source of energy.

Diabetes occurs when the production of insulin stops or the hormone fails to function properly, causing sugar to build up in the blood.

Types of diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is of several types.

In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stops making insulin and sugar begins to accumulate in the blood.

Most often this happens quite early - in childhood or adolescence.

Scientists still do not know why this happens, but they believe that a genetic predisposition or a viral infection that damages the pancreatic cells responsible for the production of insulin may play a role here.

Approximately 10% of diabetics have type 1 diabetes.

In type 2 diabetes, insulin production does not stop completely, but it is not enough or is preventing it from working efficiently.

It usually occurs in middle age or closer to old age, but type XNUMX diabetes also occurs in young people if they are obese or sedentary.

Representatives of certain peoples are also more inclined to it - especially those from South Asia.

Pregnant women are sometimes diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which means that their bodies are not producing enough insulin for both themselves and their unborn child.

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Depending on the criteria for the assessment, this type of diabetes affects 6 to 16% of all pregnant women - they need to monitor their blood sugar levels, keeping it normal with diet, exercise and insulin injections to prevent type 2 diabetes.

There is also the so-called prediabetes - an increased level of glucose in the blood, which can also lead to the development of a full-fledged disease.

Diabetes symptoms

Among the most common symptoms are:

• constant thirst;
• frequent urination, especially at night;
• fatigue;
• weight loss for no reason;
• deterioration of vision;
• long healing cuts and scrapes.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes most often develop during childhood or adolescence and are much more severe.

The risk group for type 2 diabetes usually includes people over 40 (South Asians over 25), as well as relatives of diabetics (brothers, sisters, children) and people who are overweight.

Is it possible to prevent the disease

The risk of developing diabetes depends on genetic factors and living conditions, however, you can maintain normal blood sugar levels through a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.

For starters, you can reduce the consumption of confectionery and sugary drinks, and replace white bread and pasta with meals made from wholemeal flour.

Refined sugar and refined cereal products are nutrient-poor because vitamins and fiber are found primarily in the shell of the grains.

These include white flour, white bread, white rice, white pasta, baked goods, sodas, sweets and cereals with added sugar.

A healthy diet contains vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, as well as healthy vegetable oils, nuts, and fish varieties rich in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids such as sardines, salmon, or mackerel.

It is important to eat at regular intervals to avoid overeating.

Exercise can also help reduce blood sugar. Doctors recommend that you devote at least two and a half hours a week to aerobic activity, such as walking or climbing stairs.

It is easier for the body to maintain normal blood sugar levels if you are not overweight. But if you need to lose weight, it is better to do it slowly, losing no more than 0,5-1 kg per week.

To lower your risk of heart disease, quit smoking and watch your cholesterol levels.

What are the complications of diabetes

High blood sugar levels can severely damage blood vessels.

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When the blood thickens, it becomes more difficult for her to move her body - it may not reach some cells at all, which increases the risk of nerve damage (this leads to loss of sensitivity and pain), loss of vision and the development of infectious diseases of the feet.

According to the WHO, diabetes mellitus is one of the main causes of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and gangrene of the lower extremities, which leads to amputation of the legs.

In 2016 alone, about 1,6 million people died from the direct consequences of diabetes.

How many people have diabetes

According to the WHO, from 1980 to 2014, the number of diabetics in the world increased from 108 million to 422 million.

In 1980, less than 5% of the world's adult population suffered from diabetes. In 2014, this figure was already 8,5%.

80% of diabetics live in low- or middle-income countries, according to data from the International Diabetes Federation.

In developed countries, people living below the poverty line or those who eat cheap convenience foods are more likely to get diabetes.