Last Friday was Word Diabetes Day, when growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses is brought to the fore. Experts, however, say, like some other diseases, if found early, diabetes can be prevented, writes TEMITOPE DAVID-ADEGBOYE.
It is possible you might have come across one or two diabetics. Most likely, you may even say it is no longer a hidden disease, as more people now depend on drugs or insulin injection to live a normal life. As common as this may be, not many people are aware of the danger diabetes pose to their lives. People develop other health complications as a result of what experts describe as a seemingly preventable ailment.
Diabetes mellitus (or diabetes) is a chronic, life-long condition that affects the body’s ability to use the energy found in food. It occurs when the body system has a very high glucose level. This is due to the problem with the bitter cells, in that they are unable to produce insulin, or producing in small quantity. And even at that, the body does not respond to it. Insulin is that hormone that helps the body to utilise glucose.
The burden of diabetes is increasing globally, particularly in developing countries. This explains why, every year, World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated on November 14.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) started observing WWD in 1991, in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses.
WDD became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nations Resolution 61/225. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. ‘Healthy Living and Diabetes’ is the theme for 2014 to 2016.
According to WHO, Nigeria ranks among African countries with the highest statistics. WHO said diabetes would be the seventh leading cause of death in 2030.
An estimate 347 million people worldwide have diabetes, with about 3.4 million people dead from consequences of high fasting blood sugar.
According to Dr. Ifedayo Odeniyi, consultant endocrinologist, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, having high glucose in the body (hyperglycemia) affects all aspects of the body, from the brain to the toe. The higher the glucose level, the more destructive it is to the body.
“It can affect the brain (predisposes the person to develop stroke), eyes (vision can be impaired), mouth (can cause teeth to fall), heart (vessels can get thickened, which can cause blood clot), kidneys (injuries may not heal easily and sexual life can also be affected). In fact, it is said that eight or 10 years after a patient is diabetic, he may also become hypertensive, and because the heart may be pumping with more pressure, it may lead to heart attack.
“There is a particular range that is generally acceptable as ‘normal’ when one takes blood sugar test. There is a range which a person has diabetes and then there is a gray diabetes zone. By that, we mean the fasting plasma range is not normal, and yet the range is not up to the diabetes level. This is what is called pre-diabetes level.”
According to him, this stage is very important because diabetes can be prevented.
“This validates the notion that everyone must have regular medical check because if it is found at the pre-stage, diabetes can actually be prevented,” Odeniyi explained.
At the pre-diabetes stage, patients do not develop any symptoms. In fact, most patients are picked during annual medical checks. At that point, experts tend to recommend a lifestyle change for the individual.
Diet (what you eat and do not eat) plays a huge role in the cause of diabetes. However there is also lack of sleep and exercise.
Diabetes is divided basically into four. The first is Type 1 found in younger children. The endocrinologist said that the disease is no respecter of age, as it affects the young and old. “Children from one to 18 years can have diabetes. The problem with Type 1 is that they do not have insulin at all, so they will have to be on insulin for the rest of their lives.
Type 2 found in adult is the commonest, and it is in two forms. “The insulin production in them is not enough and the body does not recognise the little insulin it is producing,” he said.
“There are others,” he added “and that is when we have infection of the pancreas.
“There is also the gestational diabetes mellitus, which occurs in pregnant women. This has its attendant risks if not properly diagnosed and treated.”
The endocrinologist said the disease is not cheap to manage because it is a life-long disease.
His words: “It doesn’t have a cure. What we do is to manage the glucose and bring it to the acceptable level as much as possible.”
To prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, the expert recommended a healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoidance of tobacco use.
He warned against sedentary lifestyle and consumption of excessive calories, which may be hard to burn.
