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Type 2 Diabetes - A Condition to be Aware of

Article written by Daniel Healy and edited by Gloria Cabrera.

March 24th 2009 is American Diabetes Alert Day. It is designed to be a one day wake up call informing the American public about the seriousness of diabetes.2 But why the concern? Let’s take a further look.

Understanding Diabetes

The best place to start is a humble packet of sugar you may put in your coffee or the toast you may have with it.  The body quite likes sugar or carbohydrates in general.  They are really easy to convert into the best source of energy for the body, that is the simple sugar - glucose.3  This could be compared to the conversion of Canadian dollars into American dollars.  Try to buy something in North Carolina with a Canadian dollar and you’re not going to get too far.  You’ve got to the convert the Canadian money into American dollars.  Then you can buy whatever you like!  It’s like that with carbohydrates/sugar and glucose.  Glucose is the US dollar of the human body.

Once the sugar has been converted into glucose the glucose needs to be taken to a place where it will be used for energy - our cells.7  To get glucose to these destinations however the body needs the assistance of the blood stream which acts like a taxi service shipping glucose molecules to cells where they are required.

Now this is where it gets interesting.   Glucose can’t just hop out of their little blood taxi’s, open the door of a cell and wonder in.  After all cells are very exclusive locales.  They need a key.  These keys are made by the pancreas, an organ just below the stomach.  When glucose enters the blood stream the pancreas get a signal to release some of these keys so they can unlock the cells and let glucose enter.3  These keys are called insulin.

So what is all the fuss about diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes occurs as a result of a number of factors. It is known as a lifestyle disease (Type 1 diabetes differs) because it is more common in people who are overweight or obese, do insufficient exercise or continually have unhealthy diets.4 Unlike type 1 diabetes which usually occurs in childhood and quite sudden, type 2 diabetes usually occurs in adults and over a longer time period of many years. However these days we are seeing more and more cases of young people developing type 2 diabetes as a result of being overweight or obese.4 So what happens in the body when you have diabetes? Well over time two main things can happen;

  1. Cells don’t respond to insulin properly (become insulin resistance), so the pancreas produce more and more insulin to get the same results4
  2. Eventually the pancreas starts to burn out and produce inadequate insulin for the body’s needs4

When this happens, glucose isn’t transported to the cells as efficiently and begins to build up in the blood. It’s almost like cells have changed their locks.  The insulin key that once opened the door for the glucose to enter no longer works.  The cells are in lock down and become “insulin resistant.”6   Because there is nowhere for glucose to be stored the glucose stays in the blood.  Eventually blood glucose levels will be elevated chronically.  This is not an ideal situation and if left untreated will eventually result in diabetes and a number of serious health complications. Providing the individual visits a doctor they will eventually be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and treatment will begin. The health complications of untreated or uncontrolled diabetes can be life threatening and include:

  • Heart Disease4
  • Kidney problems4
  • Eye damage4
  • Feet problems due to nerve damage4
  • Impotence4

How do I know if I have type 2 Diabetes?

Sadly about one quarter of those who have type 2 diabetes have not yet been diagnosed.  Currently 24 million Americans are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.1  That means that around 6 million more Americans are living day to day with diabetes and don’t even know it. 

Do you ever:

  • Feel tired and lethargic5
  • Suffer from mood swings5
  • Are constantly thirsty and pass a lot of urine5

Or have you ever had reoccurring:

  • Slow healing wounds5
  • Itching or skin infections.5

If you ticked two or more of the above it might be a good idea for you to visit your doctor and speak to him about having a diabetes check up.

So how do I reduce my risk of developing diabetes?

Here are a few simple steps;

  • Eat a healthy diet which is low in saturated fats, includes low glycemic index and high fibre carbohydrates, fresh fruit and vegetables, and avoid take away, junk or highly processed or fried foods.5
  • Exercise – Include regular physical activity during your week.5
  • Keep your weight within the healthy weight range.5
  • Keep your waist circumference within the healthy range5 
  • Quit smoking5
  • Keep your cholesterol and blood pressure within recommended levels5

So you can see that it’s a good idea to be alert about diabetes and take the necessary steps to reduce your risk of getting it! If you suspect you have diabetes or would like more information, speak to your doctor.
   
References

  1. American Diabetes Association, 2009. Diabetes Statistics [Online]. Available at http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics.jsp [Accessed 17th March 2009].
  2. American Diabetes Association, 2009. 21st Annual American Diabetes Alert Day [Online]. Available at http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-localevents/american-diabetes-alert.jsp [Accessed 23rd March].
  3. Deakin University – Better Health Channel, February 2008.  Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index [Online]. Available at http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Carbohydrates_and_the_glycaemic_index?OpenDocument [Accessed 17th March 2009].
  4. Deakin University – Better Health Channel, August 2007. Diabetes explained [Online]. Available at http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Diabetes_explained?open [Accessed 23rd March 2009].
  5. Deakin University – Better Health Channel, January 2009. Diabetes type 2 [Online]. Available at http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Diabetes_Type_2?OpenDocument [Accessed 17th March].
  6. Dietitians Association of Australia, 21st January 2008.Smart Eating for You available at http://www.daa.asn.au/index.asp?PageID=2145834464 [Accessed 17th March 2009].
  7. International Diabetes Institute, 2007. Understanding Diabetes [Online]. Available at http://www.diabetes.com.au/pdf/WhatisDiabetes_factsheet_IDI2007.pdf [Accessed 17th March 2009].

     

  

 


Last updated 17 June 2009