Key Facts: • 347 million people worldwide have diabetes1. • In 2004, an estimated 3.4 million people died from consequences of high blood sugar. • More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. • About half diabetes deaths occur among people under 70, 55% of whom are females. • WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by two thirds between 2008 and 2030. • Diabetes and its complications trigger hazardous economic effects on individuals, families, health systems and countries. • Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels. Types of Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes (T1B): Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) is characterized by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin. The cause of type 1 diabetes is not known and it is not preventable with current knowledge. Symptoms: Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes and fatigue. These symptoms may occur suddenly. Type 2 diabetes (T2B): Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset) results from the body's ineffective use of insulin. Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes around the world, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. Symptoms: Symptoms may be similar to those of Type 1 diabetes, but are often less marked. As a result, the disease may be diagnosed several years after onset, once complications have already arisen. Until recently, this type of diabetes has never afflicted anyone but adults. It has been observed, however, that children have become prone to it as well. Gestational diabetes Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Symptoms: Symptoms of gestational diabetes are similar to Type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes is most often diagnosed through prenatal screening, rather than reported symptoms. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG): Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) are intermediate conditions in the transition between normality and diabetes. People with IGT or IFG are at high risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, although this is not inevitable. Diagnosis: Diabetes can be early detected by undergoing examinations and blood tests that are fairly cheap. Significant Complications Triggered by Diabetes: Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. • In the long-term, diabetes might cause damages to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. • Diabetics are more susceptible to heart diseases and strokes. The death of about 50% of them is attributed to diabetes. • Diabetic foot disease: due to changes in blood vessels and nerves, often leads to ulceration and subsequent limb amputation. It is one of the most costly complications of diabetes, especially in communities with inadequate footwear. It results from both vascular and neurological disease processes. Regular inspection and good care of the foot can prevent amputations. • Diabetic retinopathy (eye disease): Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness and visual disability. It is caused by small blood vessel damage to the back layer of the eye, the retina, leading to progressive loss of vision, even blindness. It has been noticed that, 15 years after the incidence of diabetes, around 2% of diabetics go blind, and around 10% of them suffer from severe visual impairment. • Nephropathy (kidney disease): Diabetic kidney disease is also caused by damage to small blood vessels in the kidneys. This can cause kidney failure, and eventually lead to death. In developed countries, this is a leading cause of dialysis and kidney transplant. Around 10-20% of diabetics' death is attributed to kidney failure. • Neuropathy (nerve disease): Diabetes causes nerve damage through different mechanisms, including direct damage by the hyperglycemia and decreased blood flow to nerves by damaging small blood vessels. This nerve damage can lead to sensory loss, damage to limbs, and impotence in diabetic men. It is the most common complication of diabetes, as it befalls around 50% of them. • Diabetics are twice more vulnerable to the risk of death than non-diabetics. Prevention: Simple lifestyle measures have been shown to be effective in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes. To help prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications, people should: • achieve and maintain healthy body weight; • be physically active – at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days. More activity is required for weight control; • eat a healthy diet of between three and five servings of fruit and vegetables a day and reduce sugar and saturated fats intake; • avoid tobacco use – smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
