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Diabetes is a serious, lifelong disease that kills more than a million people every year – and anyone can get it.
Its complications can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputation.
This is a growing problem: there are an estimated 422 million people with diabetes worldwide, four times more than 40 years ago, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Despite the risks, half of people with diabetes are unaware of it.
However, a lifestyle change can prevent diabetes in many cases. Here’s how :
What are the causes of diabetes?
When we eat, our body breaks down carbohydrates into sugars (glucose). A hormone called insulin, produced by the pancreas, then instructs the cells in our body to absorb these sugars for energy.
Diabetes occurs when insulin is not produced or does not work properly, leading to a buildup of sugar in the blood.
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What are the types of diabetes?
There are several types of diabetes.
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stops producing insulin, so glucose builds up in the bloodstream.
Scientists aren’t sure why this happens, but think it may be influenced by genetics or result from viral infections that damage insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. About 10% of people with diabetes have type 1.
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the hormone does not work effectively.
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This usually occurs in middle-aged and older people, but also in overweight and sedentary young people, as well as in people of certain ethnicities, particularly South Asians.
Some pregnant women may be diagnosed with gestational diabetes when their body cannot produce enough insulin for them and the baby.
Different studies using various criteria estimate that between 6 and 16% of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes. They must control their sugar levels through diet, physical activity and/or insulin applications to prevent diabetes from developing into type 2 diabetes.
You can also be diagnosed with prediabetes, which is an increase in blood glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes.
What are the symptoms of diabetes ?
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The most common symptoms are:
- A great thirst
- Urinating more than usual, especially at night
- Feeling very tired
- Effortless weight loss
- Lily of the valley that keeps coming back
- Blurred vision
- Cuts and scrapes that don’t heal
According to the British National Health Service, with type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to start early in childhood or adolescence and be more severe.
People at highest risk of type 2 diabetes are over 40 years old (or 25 years old for people from South Asia), have a parent or sibling with diabetes, are overweight or obese, and are of South Asian, Chinese, Afro-Caribbean or Black African descent.
Can I prevent diabetes?
Diabetes depends on genetic and environmental factors, but you can help keep your blood sugar levels under control by adopting a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
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Avoiding processed sugary drinks and foods and replacing white bread and pasta with whole grains is a first step in the right direction.
Refined sugar and refined cereals are poorer in nutrients because their fibrous parts, rich in vitamins, have been eliminated. Examples include white flour, white bread, white rice, white pasta, pastries, soft/sweet drinks, sweets and breakfast cereals with added sugar.
A healthy diet includes vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains. It also includes healthy oils, nuts and fatty fish rich in omega-3, such as sardines, salmon and mackerel.
It is important to eat at regular intervals and stop eating when you are full.
Exercise can also help lower blood sugar levels. The UK National Health System (NHS) recommends 2.5 hours of aerobic activity per week, which can include brisk walking and stair climbing.
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A healthy weight makes it easier for the body to lower blood sugar levels. If you need to lose weight, try to do it slowly, between 0.5 kg and 1 kg per week.
It is also important not to smoke and to monitor your cholesterol levels to reduce the risk of heart disease.
What are the complications of diabetes?
High blood sugar can seriously damage blood vessels.
If blood does not circulate well throughout the body, it does not reach the parts of the body that need it, increasing the risk of nerve damage (loss of feeling and pain), loss of vision and infections. feet.
According to the WHO, diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation.
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In 2016, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were directly caused by diabetes.
How many people have diabetes?
According to the WHO, the number of people with diabetes increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014.
In 1980, less than 5% of adults (over 18 years of age) had diabetes worldwide; in 2014, this rate was 8.5%.
The International Diabetes Federation estimates that nearly 80% of adults living with the disease are in middle- and low-income countries, where dietary habits have changed rapidly.
In developed countries, diabetes is associated with poverty and the consumption of cheap, processed foods.