According to Diabetes.org.uk, more than 4.9 million people in the UK currently have diabetes, and even more people are at risk of developing type two diabetes. Diabetes can usually be detected by symptoms, and if caught early enough medical intervention can help to reduce the risk of type two diabetes.
What is diabetes?
Type one diabetes is where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin.
Type two diabetes is where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin.
Type two diabetes is more common in the UK, with around 90 percent of adults with diabetes having type two.
According to the NHS: “Many more people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes.”
What causes diabetes?
Diabetes occurs when your body becomes unable to break down glucose from sugars into energy.
The NHS states: “The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas.
“When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it’s broken down to produce energy.”
When your body is not able to break down the glucose, this can either mean there is not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced does not work properly.
Type one diabetes often occurs naturally, and there are no lifestyle changes you can make to stop it.
However, in some cases, type two diabetes can be developed due to lifestyle factors.
The NHS states: “You can help manage type two diabetes through healthy eating, regular exercise and achieving a healthy body weight.”
