Twenty-three-year-old Abhinav was diagnosed with diabetes and borderline high cholesterol levels during his pre-employment check-up by his new organisation. A brilliant student throughout his academic career, Abhinav studied for 12-14 hours every day, frequently ate outside, and had minimal physical activity. However, Abhinav's is not an isolated case. Like him, many young people with similar habits, including children, are increasingly developing diabetes.
The people in our country urgently need to focus on non-communicable lifestyle disorders like diabetes. With more than seven crore diabetic patients, India is home to second largest number of people living with diabetes worldwide, after China. Diabetes can affect to anyone and we cannot ignore this pandemic.
The theme for this year's World Health Day is 'Health for all' - and on this day, let's dig deeper into factors responsible for this life-long disorder.
Understanding Diabetes
In simple terms, diabetes is a disease in which the sugar level in blood increases. When a person develops diabetes, the glucose that is released from the breakdown of carbohydrates (the food we eat) does not get absorbed by cells of the body and stays in the blood instead. This leads to the typical symptoms of diabetes - lack of energy, increased hunger and/or thirst, frequent urination and delayed healing of wounds.
In simple terms, diabetes is a disease in which the sugar level in blood increases. When a person develops diabetes, the glucose that is released from the breakdown of carbohydrates (the food we eat) does not get absorbed by cells of the body and stays in the blood instead. This leads to the typical symptoms of diabetes - lack of energy, increased hunger and/or thirst, frequent urination and delayed healing of wounds.
The different types of diabetes include:
1. Type-1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the body produces minimal or no insulin. A person with type 1 diabetes definitely requires insulin for survival. It usually occurs in children. However, in a few cases, it can happen develop in adults too. Modern insulin help in maintaining good control of sugar levels with better safety for people with type 1 diabetes.
2. Type 2 diabetes is a disorder which is progressive. It starts nearly a decade before diagnosis when the cells start becoming resistant to insulin. This can be due to many reasons including obesity, sedentary lifestyle, stress and a family history. Most of the people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. In Abhinav's case, his lifestyle must have caused diabetes at a younger age. It is the most common type of diabetes in India. We have excellent personalised treatment regimen t ..
3. Gestational Diabetes (GDM) occurs during pregnancy and usually goes away after childbirth. Women who develop GDM are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Apart from lifestyle modification, a few women require insulin treatment when pregnant. A combination of lifestyle changes and regular monitoring can delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in these women.
4. MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young) is a rare form of diabetes that generally occurs before the age of 25 in individuals of normal weight. This diabetes is characterised by abnormal insulin secretion due to a genetic mutation. The treating physician will decide whether the patient requires oral drugs or insulin.
5. Other types of diabetes can also occur in individuals suffering from certain health conditions such as cancer or pancreatitis.
5. Other types of diabetes can also occur in individuals suffering from certain health conditions such as cancer or pancreatitis.
Regardless of type, untreated diabetes can lead to severe, many a time irreversible complications such as eye disorders, heart diseases, stroke, kidney damage and even nerve damage.
As per the latest International Diabetes Federation (IDF 2017) estimates, the projected number of people with diabetes by 2045 in India would be 13.43 crore, surpassing China (11.98 crore). With this, we will take on a huge healthcare burden of having highest number of people with diabetes in the world. We cannot change our genes; however we should have a definitive focus on changing our lifestyle and improving awareness of the symptoms, complications and management of diabetes. This focused approach, along with new treatment options, can significantly impact prevention or control of diabetes, and enable people with diabetes live long and healthy lives.
The key to a healthy life is to be active, be involved in some form of physical activity every day, avoid sweetened drinks, eat hygienic food in moderation, and get a good night's sleep of 6-8 hours.
Taking care of these basic requirements will go a long way in ensuring health for all.
As per the latest International Diabetes Federation (IDF 2017) estimates, the projected number of people with diabetes by 2045 in India would be 13.43 crore, surpassing China (11.98 crore). With this, we will take on a huge healthcare burden of having highest number of people with diabetes in the world. We cannot change our genes; however we should have a definitive focus on changing our lifestyle and improving awareness of the symptoms, complications and management of diabetes. This focused approach, along with new treatment options, can significantly impact prevention or control of diabetes, and enable people with diabetes live long and healthy lives.
Taking care of these basic requirements will go a long way in ensuring health for all.
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