Prevalence - 6% of the population
Estimated 191,000 people already diagnosed
279,000 cases estimated by 2030
The VHI Healthcare Screening Project running from 2009 to 2011 tested 19,000 people aged 45-75 years for type 2 diabetes. Their findings showed that there were 2,400 cases of either undiagnosed type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes among those screened.
Based on the Irish population of 45-75 year olds (1.38 million people) almost 30,000 could have undetected type 2 diabetes and over 146,000 people could have undetected pre-diabetes.
This screening by VHI also revealed that 63% of those tested were overweight.
A further study published in 2006, which examined the cost of treating type 2 diabetes in Nov-Dec 1999, suggested that 10% of the national health budget was being spent on the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In 2011 the national health budget was €14.5 billion!!
(source: www.diabetes.ie)
What is Diabetes in simple terms?
When we eat food it is broken down into glucose and sugar. Glucose helps regulate your metabolism and provides you with energy.
The process of digestion moves glucose through your bloodstream to feed your cells.
To transfer the blood sugar to your cells your body uses a hormone called insulin which is made in the Pancreas.
If your body isn’t making enough insulin to keep up with the levels of sugar in your blood or has trouble making insulin in the first place, the amount of sugar in the blood increases. This is diabetes.
Characteristics of Diabetes
Type 1
Lack of insulin
Damaged Pancreas
Tend to be younger - under 40 years old
Thin
5-10% family history
Experience symptoms for a short time before diagnosis
Type 2
Excessive insulin
Resistant
Usually over 40 years old
Overweight/Obesity
30% family history
Who is at risk of Diabetes?
People with a family history of diabetes
People with high blood pressure/cholesterol
Gestational diabetes in mothers who have had a baby weighing more than 9lbs
People who are overweight/obese
There are many symptoms of diabetes as can be seen in the illustration above. Other symptoms,particularly with Type 1 include: nausea, vomiting, hyperventilation, bad breath (smell of acetone due to the changing levels of ketones), lethargy and stupor.
What happens when blood sugars are too high?
When there is too much sugar in the blood you are at risk of Hyperglycemia. When a person with diabetes has hyperglycemia frequently or for long periods of time, damage to nerves, blood vessels, and other body organs can occur.
Hyperglycemia can occur due to:
Skipping or forgetting your insulin or glucose lowering medication if you are already diagnosed with diabetes
Eating too many grams of carbohydrates for the amount of insulin administered or just eating too many grams of carbohydrates in general
Infection
Illness
Increased stress
Decreased activity or exercising less than usual
Strenuous physical activity
Long term effects of Hyperglycemia:
Damage to small blood vessels which can result in damage to the kidneys
Large vessel damage leading to heart disease/stroke
Suffers of diabetes are at a greater risk of heart disease, two to four times greater, than those who don’t suffer from diabetes at all
Damage to your eyes/decreased vision - diabetes is the most common cause of blindness in Ireland and other western countries
Nerve damage causing painful cold or insensitive feet, loss of hair on the lower extremities, and/or erectile dysfunction
Stomach and intestinal problems such as chronic constipation or diarrhea
For more information on Diabetes you can read the blog intitled Diabetes 2: Diet.
Ronan Tutty CPT
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