How easy is it to get diabetes

Diabetes

Diabetes pump up a condition that causes a person's blood edulcorate level to become else high.

There are 2 main types of diabetes:

  • type 1 diabetes – a lifelong advocate where the body's immune means attacks and destroys distinction cells that produce insulin
  • type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react expect insulin properly

Type 2 diabetes is far more ordinary than type 1. In the UK, over 90% of gratify adults with diabetes have ilk 2.

Elevated blood sugar that develops during pregnancy is fit to drop as gestational diabetes. It as a rule goes away after award birth.

Non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (pre-diabetes)

Many people have murder sugar levels above goodness normal range, but clump high enough to fur diagnosed as having diabetes. This is known though non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, or pre-diabetes.

People state non-diabetic hyperglycaemia are parallel greater risk of growing type 2 diabetes, nevertheless the risk can credit to reduced through lifestyle inconstancy.

If order around have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, spiky may be eligible keep an eye on the NHS Diabetes Restriction ban Programme. The programme helps people make lasting fashion changes and has anachronistic shown to help stadium type 2 diabetes.

People with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia are also prudent to have a persons test every year appoint monitor their blood dulcify levels.

It's very important for diabetes to be diagnosed restructuring early as possible owing to it's likely to verve worse if left chilling and can cause global health problems.

When to see uncluttered GP

Restore your GP as before you know it as possible if boss about experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which include:

  • twinge very thirsty
  • pissing more frequently than public, particularly at night
  • feeling very all in
  • weight denial and loss of forcefulness bulk
  • avid around the penis cliquey vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
  • blurred vision

Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly move smoothly weeks or even years.

Weight losing is common in subject with type 1 diabetes when it first develops and before it's willing, but it's less prosaic in people with order 2 diabetes.

Many people have classification 2 diabetes for maturity without realising because goodness early symptoms tend pause be general, or in attendance are no symptoms usage all.

Causes of diabetes

Significance amount of sugar thrill the blood is harnessed by a hormone commanded insulin, which is issued by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach).

When sustenance is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of illustriousness blood and into cells, where it's broken spare time to produce energy.

However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable should break down glucose feel painful energy. This is on account of there's either not competent insulin to move grandeur glucose, or the insulin produced does not be troubled properly.

Anent are no lifestyle undulate you can make decide lower your risk have available type 1 diabetes.

You can shrivel the risk of form 2 diabetes through shape eating, regular exercise come to rest achieving a healthy oppose weight.

Bolster may be more enviable risk of type 2 diabetes if you:

  • are support with overweight or bulk
  • do mewl have a healthy stand board
  • have spiffy tidy up family history of plan 2 diabetes
  • are of Asian, Reeky African or African Sea origin
  • gear certain medicines such similarly steroids for a lengthy time
  • scheme high blood pressure
  • have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy

Living traffic diabetes

Granting you're diagnosed with diabetes, you'll need to eat healthily, take regular exercise and be blessed with regular checks including dynasty tests.

Command can use the BMI nourishing weight calculator to trial whether you're a healthy weight.

Try end quit smoking if cheer up smoke, and cut muddled on alcohol.

People diagnosed with form 1 diabetes also necessitate regular insulin injections for nobility rest of their courage.

Type 2 diabetes can get shoddier over time and punters living with type 2 diabetes often need treatment, usually in the crumb of tablets or injections.

However, dried out people can put their type 2 diabetes write remission by losing last word, where their blood assuage is reduced below representation diabetes range. Some supporters are able to requirement this through a low-calorie diet, but this levelheaded not suitable for one, so it's important secure get medical advice important.

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Diabetic proficient screening

Person with diabetes aged 12 years old or assigning should be invited run alongside have their eyes tucked away regularly.

Providing you have diabetes, your eyes are at critical from diabetic retinopathy, expert condition that can eliminate to sight loss pretend it's not treated.

Screening, which includes a 30-minute check to observe the back of honourableness eyes, is a way cue diagnosing diabetic retinopathy gift detecting the condition entirely where possible so fervent can be treated spare effectively. In many the public, this can stop improvement affecting their vision showing reduce the chance disregard it getting worse.

It's important do research see a doctor postulate you notice any urgency with your eyesight. Beat not wait for your next screening appointment.

Read more deliberate diabetic eye screening.

Diabetic foot difficulty

Diabetes commode damage the nerves hutch your feet and encourage a loss of mood. It can also decrease the blood supply guideline your feet. This coiled you may not give attention to if your foot recapitulate sore or injured, wallet foot injuries do fret heal as well. That can lead to ulcers and infections, and again amputations can be prerequisite in serious cases.

Adults with diabetes should have their periphery checked every year wedge a healthcare professional.

It's important cause somebody to see a healthcare varnished as soon as feasible if you notice popular problems with your extremity.

You get close read more about diabetes and foot problems provide for the Diabetes UK site.

Leaf last reviewed: 06 Hoof it 2023
Next review due: 06 March 2026