Topic

DIABETES AND DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes is an age old non-infectious physiological health condition affecting

individuals of all age groups all over the world. Being a chronic, metabolic disease characterized
by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to
the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. Diabetes is a condition primarily defined by
the level of hyperglycaemia giving rise to risk of microvascular damage (retinopathy,
nephropathy and neuropathy [World Health Organization (WHO), 2017]. The most common is
type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or
doesn't make enough insulin. In the past three decades the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has risen
dramatically in countries of all income levels. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes
or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no
insulin by itself. For people living with diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including
insulin, is critical to their survival.

Statistically there is a globally agreed target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025. 

 About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, particularly in low-and middle-income
countries and 1.6 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year (WHO, 2014).

 The global prevalence of diabetes among adults over 18 years of age has risen from 4.7% in
1980 to 8.5% in 2014
 Diabetes prevalence has been rising more rapidly in middle- and low-income countries
 Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb
amputation
 In 2012, an estimated 1.5 million deaths were directly caused by diabetes and another 2.2
million deaths were attributable to high blood glucose
 Almost half of all deaths attributable to high blood glucose occur before the age of 70 years
 WHO projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030
 Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding
tobacco use are ways to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes
 Diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with diet, physical activity,
medication and regular screening and treatment for complications. Both the number of cases
and the prevalence of diabetes have been steadily increasing over the past few decades. 

Possible complications include kidney failure, leg amputation, vision loss and nerve damage.
Adults with diabetes also have two- to three-fold increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. In
pregnancy, poorly controlled diabetes increases the risk of fetal death and other complications. 
These symptoms are seen in millions of cases around the world. Nearly 3% of global blindness
can be attributed to diabetic retinopathy, which occurs as a result of long-term accumulated
damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Diabetes is also among the leading causes of kidney
failure. Reduced blood flow and nerve damage in the feet caused by diabetes can lead to foot
ulcers, and the associated infections and complications can lead to the need for limb amputation,
as well as severe and life-long health problems. 

THEORY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIABETES

From a social point of view, Diabetes causes vary depending on your genetic makeup, family
history, ethnicity, health and environmental factors. There is no common diabetes cause that fits
every type of diabetes as the causes of diabetes vary depending on the individual and the type.
For instance; the causes of type 1 diabetes vary considerably from the causes of gestational
diabetes. Similarly, the causes of type 2 diabetes are distinct from the causes of type 1 diabetes.
In fact, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes causes are very different. Type 1 diabetes is an
autoimmune condition where the pancreas cannot produce insulin, whereas type 2 diabetes is the
body’s resistance to insulin.

Type 1 diabetes causes

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system destroying the cells in the pancreas that make
insulin. This causes diabetes by leaving the body without enough insulin to function normally.
This is called an autoimmune reaction, or autoimmune cause, because the body is attacking
itself. There is no specific diabetes causes, but the following triggers may be involved:

 Viral or bacterial infection

 Chemical toxins within food
 Unidentified component causing autoimmune reaction

Underlying genetic disposition may also be a type 1 diabetes cause.

Type 2 diabetes causes

Type 2 diabetes causes are usually multifactorial – more than one diabetes cause is involved.
Often, the most overwhelming factor is a family history of type 2 diabetes. This is the most
likely type 2 diabetes cause. There are a variety of risk factors for type 2 diabetes, any or all of
which increase the chances of developing the condition. These include:

 Obesity
 Living a sedentary lifestyle
 Increasing age
 Bad diet

Other type 2 diabetes causes such as pregnancy or illness can be type 2 diabetes risk factors.
Whereas others include

 Pancreatitis( inflammation of the pancreas) or pancreatectomy as a cause of diabetes.

Pancreatitis is known to increase the risk of developing diabetes, as is a pancreatectomy.
 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). One of the root causes of PCOS is obesity-linked
insulin resistance, which may also increase the risk of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
 Cushing’s syndrome. This syndrome increases production of the cortisol hormone, which
serves to increased blood glucose levels An over-abundance of cortisol can cause
diabetes.
 Glucagonoma. Patients with glucagonoma may experience diabetes because of a lack of
equilibrium between levels of insulin production and glucagon production.
  Steroid induced diabetes (steroid diabetes) is a rare form of diabetes that occurs due to
prolonged use of glucocorticoid therapy.

CONCLUSION

With the soaring number of patient’s reflecting population aging, diabetes demands broader
involvement of non-specialist physician’s than other diseases. Earlier intervention and continued
treatment are the keys to achieving the treatment goals.