Diabetes Care Society
Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the pancreas can no longer make insulin, or the body cannot effectively use insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that acts like a key to let glucose from the food we eat pass from the bloodstream into the cells in the body to produce energy. The body breaks down all carbohydrate foods into glucose in the blood, and insulin helps glucose move into the cells.
When the body cannot produce or use insulin effectively, this leads to high blood glucose levels, called hyperglycaemia. Over the long-term high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues.
There are 3 main types of diabetes
Type 1
Can develop at any age and requires insulin treatment for survival.
Type 1 diabetes can affect people at any age but usually develops in children or young adults. In 2022, around 8.75 million people with diabetes were living with the condition, with 1.52 million under 20. People living with type 1 diabetes need daily insulin injections to control their blood glucose levels. If they do not have access to insulin, they will die.
We do not know what exactly causes type 1 diabetes. However, research shows that the possibility of developing the condition increases slightly if a family member has it. There are also environmental factors, such as exposure to a viral infection, which, in turn, triggers an autoimmune reaction.
Type 2
Accounts for around 90% of all diabetes and is more commonly diagnosed in adults.
By learning the causes and symptoms of type 2 diabetes, you can delay or prevent it altogether. The primary indicator of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance, when the body cannot fully respond to insulin.
Because insulin cannot work properly, blood glucose levels keep rising, releasing more insulin. Unfortunately, for some people with type 2 diabetes, this can eventually exhaust the pancreas. As a result, the body produces less and less insulin, causing even higher blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia).
Accounting for around 90% of all diabetes, type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Changes in diet and physical activity related to rapid development and urbanisation have led to sharp increases in people with type 2 diabetes. Previously, mainly older adults developed the condition. However, due to rising levels of obesity, sedentary lifestyles and poor diet, type 2 diabetes is increasing in children, adolescents and younger adults.
Gestational
Occurs with high blood glucose during pregnancy and can cause complications for both mother and child.
Lifestyle changes and medication can help manage gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) poses a threat to maternal and child health, with potential long-term consequences. It can lead to pregnancy-related complications, including high blood pressure, large birth weight babies and obstructed labour.
During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones that can interfere with the body’s ability to use insulin effectively. This is known as insulin resistance, a normal part of pregnancy. However, in some women, insulin resistance becomes too high, leading to gestational diabetes.
In 2021, about 21.1 million live births or 16.7%, had some form of hyperglycaemia during pregnancy. The condition is more common in low- and middle-income countries with limited access to maternal care.
Women over 45 are at greater risk of hyperglycaemia during pregnancy, while women with a history of GDM have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five to ten years after delivery.
Children exposed to high blood sugar levels during pregnancy may also be at higher risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing type 2 diabetes.