Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

DID YOU KNOW?

  • According to International Diabetes Federation, India is home to more than 6.1 crore diabetic patients.
  • By 2030, the burden of disease or DALY for diabetes is expected cross 10 crore. (One DALY equals one lost year of healthy life.)
  • In 2011, 9.83 lakh people died of diabetes making it (diabetes) the largest cause of death in the South-East Asia region .
  • One person is dying from diabetes every seven seconds, the world over.
  • By 2030, 1 in every 10 adults the world over is going to be diabetic.
  • India also accounts for most of the 1.12 lakh children with type I diabetes in the South-East Asia region.
  • There are 3 main types of diabetes – type I diabetes, type II diabetes and gestational diabetes.
  • Type II diabetes, which is the most common across the world and constitutes 90% of all diabetes cases, occurs when the body resists or stops responding to insulin. People usually above the age of 35 are vulnerable to type 2 diabetes. However, recent trends show that even children and adolescents are succumbing to it.
  • If not treated or detected in time, diabetes can lead to heart disease and stroke, limb amputation, blindness, and kidney failure.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M SUFFERING FROM TYPE II DIABETES?

The symptoms of type II diabetes is not apparent at first and develops over a period of time. The classic symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst, increased hunger and increased urination. A person suffering from type II diabetes may experience frequent or slow healing infections of bladder, kidney, skin, vagina, etc. There may also be blurred vision, erectile dysfunction and pain or numbness in the feet or hand.

CAN I PREVENT IT?

As a matter of fact, type II diabetes is the only type that is preventable. A healthy body weight and a physically active life-style are the best ways to keep type II diabetes at bay. Regular screening with diabetes blood tests is recommended for obese and overweight adults and children to detect the presence of high sugar levels in blood.
References:
  1. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 5th Edition – International Diabetes Federation
  2. http://www.who.int/diabetes/en/
  3. http://www.who.int/diabetes/facts/en/
  4. http://www.who.int/topics/diabetes_mellitus/en/
  5. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001214.htm