There’s a good chance that you know someone who has diabetes, or you may be living with the disease yourself – according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA), it’s been estimated that about 1 in 10 South Africans have diabetes. In honour of World Diabetes Day (WDD) on 14 November, we’re taking a closer look at this serious condition.

What is diabetes?
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) defines diabetes as “a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces.” Diabetes can also lead to serious health issues like vision loss, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. While there are different forms of the disease, here’s a brief overview of two of the main types.

Type 1

• Usually develops in children and adolescents.
• The body produces little to no insulin.
• Treatment includes daily insulin injections to control blood glucose levels.

Type 2

• Usually develops in adults and accounts for about 90% of all diabetes cases.
• The body does not make good use of the insulin it produces.
• Treatment focuses on healthy lifestyle, although medication may be required over time.

(Source: idf.org)

How many people have diabetes?
According to the IDF, it’s estimated that about 425 million people worldwide have diabetes, with the largest number of people with the disease falling into the 40–59 age bracket. It’s also thought that about 50% of people with diabetes don’t know that they have the disease. And according to the HSFSA, “Symptoms vary from individual to individual and elderly people may not present any symptoms.”

Family and Diabetes
The theme of this year’s World Diabetes Day is Family and Diabetes. The campaign encourages families to familiarise themselves with the warning signs of the disease and to find out more about their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. So, what are the signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes? Mayo Clinic lists the following:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger
• Unexplained weight loss
• Presence of ketones in the urine
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurred vision
• Slow-healing sores
• Frequent infections, such as gums or skin infections and vaginal infections

The good news is that, according to the WDD campaign, over 50% of type 2 diabetes is preventable, and their lifestyle recommendations include eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

If you think that you may have diabetes, make an appointment to see your doctor. You can also find out more about the disease at heartfoundation.co.za/diabetes.

Sources
Idf.org
Worlddiabetesday.org
Heartfoundation.co.za
Mayoclinic.org