Remember those days when your mother used to scold you about eating too much sweet? “You will get diabetes when you get older” – she used to say.  But even though the large intake of sugar is a contributing factor to diabetes – it’s not the only ‘enemy’.

According to one diabetic *Quincy who has been through the emotional and financial upheaval of the illness, obesity is very complicated.

“I think the easiest thing for anyone to do is just to eat healthy and listen to your mother!” he advised with a laugh.

There are two types of Diabetes

Type 1

Type 1 Diabetes is autoimmune disease that affects 0.3 percent on average. It is result of destruction of beta cells due to aggressive nature of cells present in the body. Researchers believe that some of the Etiology and Risk factors which may trigger Type 1 diabetes may be genetic, poor diet (malnutrition) and environment (virus affecting pancreas). Secondly, in most of the cases diabetes occurs because there is abnormal secretion of some hormones in blood which act as antagonists to insulin.

ii. Type 2

Type 2 Diabetes, is also called non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. It occurs when the body produces enough insulin but cannot utilise it effectively. This type of diabetes usually develops in middle age. A general observation says that about 90-95 percent of people with suffering with diabetes are Type 2; about 80 percent are overweight. It is more common among people who are older; obese; have a family history of diabetes; have had gestational diabetes. There are number of risk factors found to be responsible for Type 2 diabetes, the more the Etiology and Risk factors carried by an individual the higher the risk for developing the diabetes.

Causes of diabetes

Hereditary or Inherited Traits: It is strongly believed that is due to some genes which passes from one generation to another. It depends upon closeness of blood relationship as mother is diabetes risk is 2 to 3 percent, father is diabetic risk is more than the previous case and if both the parents are diabetic, it has much greater risk for diabetes.

Age: Increased age is a factor which gives more possibility than in younger age. This disease may occur at any age, but 80% of cases occur after 50 years, incidences increase as age do in this group.

Poor Diet (Malnutrition Related Diabetes): Improper nutrition, low protein and fibre intake, high intake of refined products are the expected reasons for developing diabetes.

Obesity and Fat Distribution: Being overweight means increased insulin resistance, that, is if body fat is more than 30%, BMI 25+, waist grith 35 inches in women or 40 inches in males.

Sedentary Lifestyle: People with sedentary lifestyle are more prone to diabetes, when compare to those who exercise thrice a week, are at lesser risk of falling prey to diabetes.

Stress: Either physical injury or emotional disturbance is frequently blamed as the initial cause of the disease. Any disturbance in Cortiosteroid or ACTH therapy may lead to clinical signs of the diseases.

Drug Induced: Clozapine (Clozaril), olanzapine (Zyprexa), risperidone (Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel) and ziprasidone (Geodon) are known to induce this lethal disease.

Infection: Some of the strephylococci are suppose to be responsible factor for infection in pancreas.

Sex: It is commonly seen in elderly especially males but strong evidence of developing diabetes in females with multiple pregnancy has been observed or in females suffering from (PCOS) Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Hypertension: It had been reported in many studies that there is direct relation between high systolic pressure and diabetes.

Serum lipids and lipoproteins: High triglyceride and cholesterol level in the blood are related to high blood sugars, in some cases it had been studied that risk are involved even with low HDL levels in circulating blood. 

Symptoms of diabetes

If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms associated with diabetes, immediately consult your healthcare professional.

    * Increased urination

    * Blurred vision

    * Fatigue or drowsiness

    * Poorly healing cuts or bruises

    * Increased hunger and thirst

    * Rapid weight loss

    * Dry, itchy skin

    * Loss of feeling in hands or feet

At present, no cure is available for diabetes. But with regular self-monitoring of blood glucose and a proper combination of diet, exercise and medication, people with diabetes lead active, healthy lives.

Prevention of diabetes

Research studies have found that lifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes among high-risk adults. Changing diet and adding moderate exercise (such as walking) reduced the development of diabetes in study participants by 58 percent. 

In the Diabetes Prevention Program, a large prevention study of people at high risk for diabetes, people treated with medication reduced their risk of developing diabetes by over 30 percent. Treatment was most effective among younger, heavier people (those 25-40 years of age who were 50 to 80 pounds overweight) and less effective among older people and people who were not as overweight.

There is no known way to prevent Type 1 diabetes. But advances in insulin types and insulin delivery systems have given people with Type 1 more choices for managing their diabetes.

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