DIABETES Getting the Facts Right
How many diabetics in India?
Battling
Diabetes
Diabetes
in urban
areas
areas
in rular
areas
areas
Prevalence
of Diabetes
of Diabetes
in mainland
states
states
in the
northeast
northeast
Prediabetes
risk
risk
lowest in
Mizoram
Mizoram
highest in
Tripura
Tripura
Causes for
concern
concern
Hypertension obesity and family diabetes history are risk factors in both urban and rural areas
Diabetes more common among the affluent in rural India
It’s prevalence is higher among poor in the urban areas of affluent states
Adapted from:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/health/world-diabetes-day-number-of-indians-with-diabetes-likely-to-double-in-next-decade/story-N8cLlYBXvh5FiK1nJD2wUN.html
If the scale of this disease is so humungous in India, we must definitely know, what is diabetes all about….
To begin with, you need to know that diabetes, is primarily a disorder of the hormone called insulin, that regulates the amount of sugar in your bloodstream under normal conditions. However, due to diabetes, your body produces deficient insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or produces enough insulin but the tissues of the body are unable to uptake this insulin and utilize it for sugar level regulation (Type 2 diabetes, the much more common form of diabetes versus Type 1)
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes - The Differences
Below is a guide to some of the main differences between type 1 and type 2.
Type 1
Type 2
What is
happening?
happening?
Your body attacks the cells in your pancreas which means it cannot make any insulin.
Your body is unable to make enough insulin or the insulin you do make doesn’t work properly.
Risk
factors
factors
We don’t currently know what causes type 1 diabetes.
We know some things can put you at risk of having type 2 like weight and ethnicity.
Symptoms
The symptoms for type 1 appear more quickly.
Type 2 symptoms can be easier to miss because they appear more slowly.
Management
Type 1 is managed by taking insulin to control your blood sugar.
You can manage type 2 diabetes in more ways than type 1. These include through medication, exercise and diet. People with type 2 can also be prescribed insulin.
Cure and
Prevention
Prevention
Currently there is no cure for type 1 but research continues.
Type 2 cannot be cured but there is evidence to say in many cases it can be prevented and put into remission.
Adapted from:
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/differences-between-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes
As Type 2 diabetes is the much more common form of the disease. Let’s dive deeper into some pertinent information on it:
What factors make you more vulnerable to diabetes?
RISK FACTORS For type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic, progressive disorder and can have long lasting, far-reaching effects on multiple organs and systems of your body
RISK FACTORS For type 2 Diabetes
How is diabetes diagnosed?
Your doctor will assess your complete medical history, family history, current complaints and perform a thorough medical examination. If the doctor suspects diabetes, he would like to perform a few key tests that assess your blood sugar levels.
These include: HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin that gives your doctor an idea of your blood sugar levels over 3 months), your doctor would also like to perform tests for fasting and post meal blood sugar levels and for random sugar level, to get a complete view.
Below is a chart of normal
blood sugar levels for adults:
Adapted from:
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/normal-blood-sugar-levels-chart-adult
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, what are your treatment and management options?
The American Academy of Clinical Endocrinology, a leading global medical body on matters related to diabetes care, recommended the following lifestyle changes for improved diabetes care
Lifestyle Therapy
Risk Stratification For Diabetes Complications
INTENSITY STRATIFIED BY BURDEN OF OBESITY AND RELATED COMPLICATIONS
Nutrition
Maintain optimal weight
Calorie restriction (if BMI is increased)
Plant-based diet:
high polyunsaturated & monunsaturated fatty acids
high polyunsaturated & monunsaturated fatty acids
Aviode trans fatty acids;
limit saturated
fatty acids
Structured counseling Meal replacement
Physical
Activity
Activity
150 min/week moderate exertion (eg. walking, stair climbing)
Strength training Increase as tolerated
Structured program
Wearable echnologies
Wearable echnologies
Medical evaluation/
clearance Medical supervision
clearance Medical supervision
Sleep
about 7 hours per night
Basic sleep hygiene
screen OSA Home sleep study
Referral to sleep lab
Behavioral
Support
Support
Community engagement
Alcohol moderation
Discuss mood with HCP
Formal behavioral therapy
Smoking
Cessation
Cessation
No tobacco products
Nicotine replacement
therapy
therapy
Referral to
structured program
structured program
To add to all of these lifestyle medications, you must also ensure that you seek regular medical advice from a qualified physician. Your physician will decide your need for oral medications and/or insulin and it is expected of you to strictly adhere to the recommended regime.
