Spain is the second country with the highest prevalence of diabetes in Europe, according to data from the Spanish Diabetes Society (SED). In recent years, there has been a “strong” increase in the number of Spanish adults with diabetes, reaching a prevalence of 14.8% (more than 5 million). But, the most worrying thing about this disease is the underdiagnosis: almost a third of people are not diagnosed.
And, as he explains to ‘Health Guides’ he Dr. Franz Martín Bermudoprofessor of Nutrition at the Pablo de Olavide-CIBERDEM University, who has just published Living with diabetes (Vergara):
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“With this rate of growth in new cases of type 2 diabetes (which can be prevented in many cases) we have already reached the World Health Organization’s forecasts for 2030.”
And the problem is that, when it is not detected or treated properly, can cause serious complications and potentially fatal. For example:
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a myocardial infarction
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a stroke
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a blindness
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Amputation of lower limbs…
And all of them reduce the quality of life and increase health costs.”
Difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease, ten times more common than type 1 (autoimmune disease, which is diagnosed more frequently in children and adolescents). It is a serious condition characterized by insulin resistance. That is, the insulin produced by the pancreas does not work correctly or not enough is produced to allow glucose to pass from the blood to the cells and be converted into energy.
Diabetes prevention: tips to avoid the disease
Dr. Martín Bermudo emphasizes how A healthy lifestyle “can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of this disease.” Although people “have more and more information about what they have to do, the prevalence of diabetes continues to grow at an unstoppable rate.”
Type 1 diabetes cannot be preventedbut there are measures we can take to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, clinical research has shown that risk of developing diabetes is reduced by more than 50% by making relatively simple lifestyle changes.
However, it is also important to early diagnosis and access to appropriate follow-up to delay possible complications.
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Healthy diet. It is advisable to follow a complete diet that provides all the nutrients that our body needs: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water. Of course, quality. You should avoid all foods with added sugar, pre-cooked foods, pastries, juices and soft drinks.. And give more importance to the consumption of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
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Increase physical activity. Each patient must adapt it to their personal conditions, but the WHO recommends 150 minutes per week in sessions of 3 to 5 times with an aerobic activity: walk, swim, ride a bike… The specialist emphasizes that exercise should not be done or resumed if glucose levels are below 100 mg/dl or above 200 mg/dl.
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Maintain an adequate body weight.
Risk factors for type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Family background. If your father or brother has type 1 diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing this disease.
- Age. Type 1 diabetes is more common in children and adolescents.
In the case of type 2 diabetes:
- Prediabetes.
- Obesity.
- Physically inactive.
- More than 45 years.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
How to detect type 2 diabetes
The expert points out that many people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after a routine blood test, although it produces some symptoms that can show the presence of this chronic disease.
Diabetes, closer to a cure?
Dr. Franz Martín Bermudo is one of the leaders in Europe in research and dissemination about diabetes. His experience and rigor are the basis to help us understand it better and combat it properly. But, when asked if we are one step away from definitive healing:
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“In chronic diseases the concept of cure is different,” he explains.
“We can approach healing by understanding that I am a person who has diabetesthey do not remove the cause that produces the disease, but I lead a normal life as if I didn’t have one, And so could be understood as healing. Or you can eliminate the disease, which is different.” But, the specialist is “positive because technology is advancing a lot, with new drugs and insulins that are appearing.”