Interesting Facts About Diabetes (Part 1)

Whether you have diabetes or know someone who has, you might want to learn some interesting facts about this condition. Seeing how greatly treatment has evolved can be empowering.

A few days ago, I read interesting facts about diabetes. As a result, I decided to share them. I think that they can help us increase our awareness and learn a lot of things about diabetes.

1. Type 1 diabetes is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. The main reason is that people with type 1 diabetes must take insulin in order to live.
2. Type 1 diabetes used to be called “juvenile diabetes” because it was diagnosed mainly in children. However, that name is no longer accurate. Children are increasingly developing another type of diabetes – type 1 diabetes.
3. Researchers think that genetics and environmental triggers cause type 1 diabetes.
4. The researchers have noticed that there are more cases of type 1 diabetes in northern climates. As a result, they concluded that environmental triggers play a role in the development of type 1.
5. About 90% of all people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. That means that type 1 diabetes is far less common than type 2.
6. With regular blood glucose control, you can avoid many of the complications associated with type 1 diabetes. Some of them are foot problems and nerve pain.
7. Exercise is an important part of keeping diabetes under control.
8. Many famous people have type 1 diabetes. Some of them are Ron Santo (Chicago Cubs player), Halle Berry, Mary Tyler Moore, and Nick Jonas.
9. Diabetes is responsible for over one million amputations each year. Furthermore, it is responsible for a large percentage of cataracts, and at least 5% of blindness worldwide.
10. The five countries with the highest percentage of diabetes are Nauru, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

More 10 facts about diabetes

1. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that diabetes has reached epidemic proportions. They expect that 80% of all new cases of diabetes will appear in developing countries by 2025.
2. Every 10 seconds someone dies from diabetes-related causes globally. Every year nearly 3.5 million people in the world die due to diabetes. The death rate is expected to rise by 25% over the next decade.
3. India has the world’s highest diabetes population with over 35 million people with diabetes. By 2025, this number is expected to increase to 70 million.
4. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, severe nervous system damage, and heart attacks.
5. In women, diabetes impacts estrogen levels, menstrual and ovulation cycles, and sexual desire.
6. Smoking can increase diabetes risk. As a result, blood vessels constrict, raising blood pressure, and stimulating the release of catecholamines, which promote insulin resistance.
7. Certain diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis, hemochromatosis, and Cushing’s syndrome may cause pancreatic beta cell destruction. That later leads to diabetes.
8. An estimated 16 million Americans have pre-diabetes. Unfortunately, many of them are unaware of their condition.
9. Overweight individuals are more prone to develop diabetes. It is because more fat requires more insulin. Fat cells release free fatty acids which interfere with glucose metabolism, and overweight people have fewer available insulin receptors.
10. In order to test for diabetes, the ancient doctors would taste the urine of a suspected sufferer of diabetes. Sweet urine is high in glucose, suggesting the presence of diabetes.

Sources:

https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-1-diabetes/type-1-diabetes-facts-tips