What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder. In a person without diabetes, food is broken down during the digestion process and turned into glucose, the fuel that our body uses. Glucose must pass into the cells within the body for it energy use. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas allows this transfer of glucose to take place. In a patient with diabetes, the patient does not produce enough insulin for this process to take place. As a result, the glucose produced during digestion overflows into the urine, thus causing the excretion of the body’s fuel sources.
The direct cause of diabetes is unknown, but researchers have determined genetics, and environmental factors, such as lack of exercise, play a role. Roughly, 7% of the American population, or 14.6 million people are affected by diabetes, but perhaps the more disturbing fact is there are an estimated 6.2 million people unaware of their condition.
There are two types of Diabetes, type 1 and 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce the hormone insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is insulin resistant, meaning that the body does not properly use the hormone to process meals into glucose. Most Americans with the condition are affected by type 2, while roughly 5% to 10% are affected by Type 1.
Common myths suggest that eating too much sugar triggers diabetes, however, it will not cause the condition. You are at risk for Type 2 Diabetes if you are overweight, but this does not mean that you will be affected. Genetics also play a role in determining if you will become affected, so if you have a family history of the condition, you need to be especially careful when it comes to diet.
Healthcare professionals have developed testing measures to determine the diabetic state, either diabetic or pre-diabetic, that a patient is in. These tests, known as Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPGT) and the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) diagnose either state of the condition. The diagnostic test of preference by the American Diabetes Association is the Fasting Plasma Glucose Test because it is generally easier, faster, and less expensive to perform. If a FPGT has a result of 100-125mg/dl, it signals a pre-diabetic state result, whereas 126mg/dl or higher signals has diabetes.
With this information, along with the plethora of other data available in several places, individuals may become more aware of what diabetes is and what having it means. Regardless of the reason behind seeking information on diabetes, the more informed, the better.