World Diabetes Day: Facts and preventive measures against diabetes

Diabetes an illness where a person has high blood glucose either because they are not producing enough insulin or because the body does not respond properly to insulin is a major cause of concern worldwide On the occasion of World Diabetes Day we present an overview about the disease its signs symptoms preventive measures that can be taken along with some facts that were unearthed during a 2015 survey by the International Diabetes FederationAlso Read Shimla to host walk to mark World Diabetes DayAbout diabetesDiabetes also known as Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces Insulin a hormone made by the pancreas acts like a key to let glucose from the food we eat pass from the blood stream into the cells in the body to produce energy All carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose in the blood and insulin helps glucose get into the cells Not being able to produce insulin or use it effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood This condition is known as hyperglycaemia Over the longterm high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissuesTypes of DiabetesThere are three main forms of diabetesType 1 diabetes Appears very suddenly and is currently incurable Without insulin a person with type 1 diabetes will die It results from the pancreass failure to produce enough insulin and is hence was previously referred to as insulindependent diabetes mellitus IDDM or juvenile diabetes Type 1 diabetes can mainly occur due to family history of diabetes genetics infections and other environmental influencesRegular intake of insulin is a must for patients suffering from type 1 diabetes Picture for representational purposesType 2 diabetes It begins with insulin resistance a condition in which cells fail to respond to insulin properly Type 2 diabetes can go unnoticed and undiagnosed for years The primary cause is excessive body weight and not enough exercise This form was previously referred to as non insulindependent diabetes mellitus NIDDM or adultonset diabetes Type 2 diabetes is manageable with dietary changes and increasing physical activity In some cases medication is requiredGestational diabetes GDM Appears during pregnancy and can lead to serious health risks for both the mother and child Gestational diabetes is associated with an increased risk of both mother and child developing type 2 diabetes later in lifeSigns and symptoms of diabetes Frequent urination Weight loss Lack of energy Excessive thirst Slowhealing wounds Fatigue A tingling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet Frequent infections Vomiting and stomach pain often mistaken as the flu Frequent infections Lack of interest and concentrationDiabetes factsgtgt 1 in 11 adults have diabetes which amounts to nearly 415 million from the worlds populationgtgt 465 of adults with diabetes are undiagnosedgtgt 12 of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes which amounts to about USD 673 billiongtgt By 2040 1 adult in 10 642 million will have diabetesgtgt 1 in 7 births is affected by gestational diabetesgtgt Three quarters of people with diabetes live in low and middle income countriesgtgt 542000 children have type 1 diabetesgtgt Every 6 seconds a person dies from diabetes This amounts to 5 million deaths on a daily basisgtgt There are 318 million adults worldwide with impaired glucose tolerance which puts them at high risk of developing the disease in the futuregtgt 2152 million men and 1995 million women are said to be suffering from diabetes as of 2015 The figures are projected to increase to 3284 million and 3133 million respectivelygtgt USA has the most children with type 1 diabetes between 014 years amounting to 84100gtgt Indian is second on the list of ten countries containing 70200 children suffering from type 1 diabetesgtgt The United States spends USD 320 billion dollars on diabetes treatmentgtgt China has 1096 million adults suffering from diabetes seconded by India with 692 millionRegular physical activities like jogging can reduce diabetes risk Those suffering from the disease should also keep fit with daily exercise in order to keep the illness at bay Pic for representational purposesPrevention30 minutes of any physical activity on a daily basis can reduce the risks of developing type 2 diabetes by 40 per cent Activities like swimming cycling brisk walking dancing are most recommended by health and medical professionals A balanced and nutritious diet is essential for reducing risk factors for cardiovascular diseases Avoding smoking stress irregular sleeping patterns can also be of great help