Diabetes

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.

Consequence of Diabetes

Hyperglycaemia, also called raised blood glucose or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body’s systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.
When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream.
Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease

Health impact

Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
Adults with diabetes have a two- to three-fold increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Combined with reduced blood flow, neuropathy (nerve damage) in the feet increases the chance of foot ulcers, infection and eventual need for limb amputation.
Diabetic retinopathy is an important cause of blindness and occurs as a result of long-term accumulated damage to the small blood vessels in the retina. Close to 1 million people are blind due to diabetes.
Diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure.
People with diabetes are more likely to have poor outcomes for several infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

Types of Diabetes

There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant).

Type 1 Diabetes-

Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake).
This reaction stops your body from making insulin.
Approximately 5-10% of the people who have diabetes have type 1.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often develop quickly.
It’s usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you’ll need to take insulin every day to survive.
Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use insulin well and can’t keep blood sugar at normal levels. About 90-95% of people with diabetes have type 2.
It develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults.
Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women who have never had diabetes.
Gestational diabetes gets cured once the baby is born
When a pregnant woman has gestational diabetes, the baby is at high risk of health problems

Prevention

achieve and maintain a healthy body weight;
be physically active – doing at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days. More activity is required for weight control;
eat a healthy diet, avoiding sugar and saturated fats; and
avoid tobacco use – smoking increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Why is News?

reference:

Today Current Affairs Upsc Exam Syllabus & Previous Yearpaper.