Diabetes Facts
When the body fails to produce Insulin, the glucose that is formed from the
food that you eat does not get metabolized and gets into the blood stream, thus
raising the blood sugar level. This condition is known as Diabetes which is a
chronic disease that gradually damages many organs of the body. Moreover, the
inability of the body to metabolize the glucose means that energy is not being
produced leading to weakness.
Diabetes to some extent is a hereditary disease and as such direct relatives
of diabetics are quite likely to get this disease. Moreover, the following
factors can also cause this disease: high cholesterol, obesity, lack of physical
exercise, old age and high blood pressure. Although adolescents are also getting
this disease in increasing numbers nowadays, mostly overweight people over the
age of 40 are normally affected by it. The following communities have a higher
incidence of Diabetes than others: Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, Native
Americans, Hispanic Americans and African Americans. Pregnant women who get
diabetes during pregnancy might get affected with permanent diabetes in later
life.
Diabetes is mainly of three types. When the pancreas cannot produce any
insulin, it is known as Type-1 diabetes and it normally affects adolescents. In
other cases where insufficient insulin is being produced and even that cannot be
used by the body, the condition is known as type-2 diabetes. Normally type-2
diabetes affects the adults but children are also known to have been affected.
The third type is Gestational Diabetes which affects pregnant women temporarily
during their pregnancy.
Normally, Diabetes affects the functions of the kidneys and eyes and also
leads to non-traumatic amputations, stroke, nerve damage and heart attacks.
People with diabetes have a shorter life span to the tune of about 15 years.
Nearly 120 million people suffer from diabetes throughout the world and as per
the estimates of the World Health Organization nearly 300 million people are
likely to have diabetes by 2025.
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